Bree Council started Monday’s first round of the 45th Larry Pittman Memorial Wilson County Junior Golf Championship looking for her fourth straight girls medalist distinction.
By the time, the recent Fike High graduate’s round was over, she was looking for an even bigger prize. Council, who has won age-group championships in five of the six years she has competed in the Larry Pittman Memorial, finished her first round Monday at Wilson Country Club with a 40-38—78. That put her eight strokes up on her closest competitor in the girls Ages 15-18 division and overall girls tournament, former Fike teammate Payton Durham (43-43—86), but Council is tied with Charlie Thurston, the Boys Ages 15-16 leader, for the overall medalist distinction. Thurston also carded a 40-38—78 on Monday and owns a 10-shot lead over Conner McIntosh in their age group while two shots ahead of Ages 17-18 co-leaders Zachary Hill (41-39—80) and Hank Berry (40-40—80).
Council, a four-time conference champion who led Fike to consecutive NCHSAA 3-A girls golf championships in 2022 and 2023, said she wasn’t expecting to play so well Monday.
“I kind of surprised myself,” she said.
Council, who will play golf at NCAA Division I Wagner College in New York, said she hasn’t played as much recently.
“I’ve had a few tournaments here and there, probably about three this year, but it’s been hard for me to get out and play and practice recently,” she said.
Council credited her putting as key to her score Monday.
“My putting definitely saved me a few times,” she said. “I didn’t have any three-putts, and I was making comeback putts after not having the best first putt, made a couple up and downs. I wasn’t doing the best off the tee or approach shots, but I was making up for it.”
Also difficult was dealing with the demands of the WCC layout.
“The rough was tough today,” Council assured.
With the final round moving to Wedgewood Public Golf Course on Tuesday, Council is hoping she can go lower.
“I’ve played out there more than I have at the country club, so I’m hoping I can keep my game going,” she said. “But I heard the greens are kind of bumpy, so we’ll see how that affects everybody.”
Council could be at least the fourth female golfer to be the outright medalist or share it with a male colleague in the Larry Pittman Memorial. Stephanie Otteson clipped Richie Hunt by a stroke to become the Wilson County Junior Golf tournament’s first female overall medalist in 2002. Her younger sister, Amy Otteson, tied boys medalist Coalter Paxton IV in 2008 for overall medalist, each with a record-setting score of 207 in three rounds.
Mallory Warwick whipped the field in 2011, including boys medalist Bailey Rose by eight strokes.
In the other age divisions, some major battles are brewing for Tuesday’s final round. The entire Boys Ages 8U eight-player field is within seven strokes of leader Bennett Parker’s 30 with five youngsters crammed into the top three spots after Monday’s 5-hole round.
One shot separates Boys Ages 13-14 leader Cam Efird with 83 from Nathan Skinner in second place while Boys 17-18 co-leaders Hill and Berry are five shots ahead of the trio of Noah Gurganus, Thomas Pope and Brayden Joyner.
In the Girls Ages 9-10 division, Keagan Durham has a four-shot lead over Addison Lovett while Elle Gorman (Ages 11-12) and Kensley Hill (Ages 13-14) hold sizable leads.
Thomas Layton is eight up in the Boys 9-10 while Bowman Smith is threatening to run away with the Boys 11-12. Smith fired a 37 in the nine-hole first round, nine shots better than Joe Lewis in second place. Lewis leads third-place Cameron Jones and Jon Parker Pope by seven strokes.
Thurston is up 10 strokes on Conner McIntosh in the Boys 15-16 division.
Larry Pittman Memorial Wilson County Junior Golf Tournament
First-round results Monday, June 17, at Wilson Country Club.
Girls
Ages 9-10
(5 holes)
Keagan Durham 28
Addison Lovett 32
Abigail Owens 37
Lauran Worrell 38
Carleigh Ford 40
Ages 11-12
(9 holes)
Ellee Gorman 59
Alma Stancil 68
Lucy Stadiem 69
Sara Robl 70
Ages 13-14
(9 holes)
Kensley Hill 48
Leanna Gorman 67
Ages 15-18
Bree Council 40-38—78
Payton Durham 43-43—86
Rachel Thomason 55-47—102
Morgan Radford 57-57—114
Addison Barnes 55-67—122
Boys
Ages 8U
(5 holes)
Bennett Parker 30
Thomas Wright 31
William Skinner 32
Beau Gorman 32
Matthew Layton 32
Cameron Parker 33
Camden Brann 35
Maddox Ford 37
Ages 9-10
(5 holes)
Thomas Layton 24
Brady Howell 32
Dallas Pope 33
Ben Stadiem 36
Ages 11-12
(9 holes)
Bowman Smith 37
Joe Lewis 46
Cameron Jones 53
Jon Parker Pope 53
Asher Raper 61
Turner Webb 65
Tripp Harris 68
Cody Aliff 68
Hudson Green 69
Ages 13-14
Camden Efird 45-38—83
Nathan Skinner 41-43—84
Walker Green 50-46—96
Jacob Thomason 49-48—97
R.J. Garris 50-49—99
Parker Almhurst 55-51—106
Dawson Raper 53-58—111
Ages 15-16
Charlie Thurston 40-38—78
Conner McIntosh 48-40—88
Zachary Owens 44-47—91
Jack Pritchard 47-46—93
Mattox McKeel 51-46—97
Brayden Boswell 57-44—101
Jonathan Garrett 69-71—140
Ages 17-18
Hank Berry 40-40—80
Zachary Hill 41-39—80
Noah Gurganus 43-42—85
Brayden Joyner 45-40—85
Thomas Pope 41-44—85
George Nestor 48-51—99
Tuesday, June 18, tee times
Hole No. 1
8 a.m.
8U Boys
Bennett Parker
Cameron Parker
Maddox Ford
8:10 a.m.
8U Boys
William Skinner
Thomas Wright
Beau Gorman
Camden Brann
8:20 a.m.
9-10 Girls
Carleigh Ford
Lauran Worrell
8:30 a.m.
9-10 Girls
Abigail Owens
Keagan Durham
Addison Lovett
8:40 a.m.
9-10 Boys
Ben Stadiem
Dallas Pope
8:50 a.m.
8U, 9-10 Boys
Brady Howell
Thomas Layton
Matthew Layton
The following Tee times are all for 8 a.m.
Group A tees off first, followed by Group B
Hole No. 2
17-18 Boys
Group A
George Nestor
Brayden Joyner
Thomas Pope
Group B
Zachary Hill
Noah Gurganus
Hank Barry
Hole No. 3
15-16 Boys
Group A
Jonathan Garrett
Jackson Workman
Group B
Brayden Boswell
Mattox McKeel
Jack Pritchard
Hole No. 4
15-16 Boys
Zachary Owens
Conner McIntosh
Charlie Thurston
Hole No. 5
13-14 Boys
Group A
Dawson Raper
Parker Almkuist
RJ Garris
Group B
Jacob Thomason
Walker Green
Nathan Skinner
Camden Efird
Hole No. 6
15-18 Girls
Group A
Addison Barnes
Morgan Radford
Group B
Rachel Thomason
Payton Durham
Bree Council
Hole No. 7
13-14 Girls
Kensley Hill
Leanna Gorman
Hole No. 10
11-12 Girls
Group B
Alma Stancil
Lucy Stadiem
Sara Robl
Ellee Gorman
Hole No. 10
11-12 Boys
Group A
Hudson Green
Cody Aliff
Tripp Harris
Hole No. 11
11-12 Boys
Group A
Turner Webb
Asher Raper
Jon Parker Pope
Group B
Cameron Jones
Nate Lewis
Bowman Smith
