Bearden junior Conner Hall and the top area high school golfers competed Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at Three Ridges Golf Course in the first round of the 5Star Preps Masters presented by Brad Rose Golf Instruction. (Photos by Tanner Walker/5SP)
BY JESSE SMITHEY
Tuesday proved to be a day of firsts for Bearden junior Conner Hall.
His first ace.
His first round in the 60s.
And though inclement weather shut the door early on Round One of the 2024 5Star Preps Masters at Three Ridges Golf Course, Hall managed to finish his round before the storms arrived in northeast Knox County.
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He made back-to-back eagles on the back nine Tuesday en route to a first-round, 4-under 68. That mark led CAK’s Bryson White and FBA’s Max Green by one, though more than 50 boys’ golfers were still in the midst of their first rounds when play was called off officially for the day at 5:30 p.m. The first delay came at 1:52 and lasted roughly 50 minutes. The second-and-final delay began at 3:16 p.m., and golfers never returned to action Tuesday.
Play will resume at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at Three Ridges, the goal being to finish 27 holes to declare team and individual winners — in both boys’ and girls’ golf.
No girls finished play Tuesday. Gibbs standout Brook Farmer was 5 under through 17 with a birdie putt at the last when play was halted.
SCORES … click here.
TEE TIMES … click here.
A bit of a late-bloomer on the high school golf scene, Hall is just in his fourth year of playing the sport seriously. Sure, he’d play the occasional round or two with his grandfather, he said, at Concord Park Par-3 in his younger days. But it wasn’t until his friend and Bearden teammate Charlie Culbertson got Hall out out to Tennessee National to play in middle school that Hall really caught the golf bug.
By the end of last high school golf season, Hall’s name was popping up on leaderboards — enough so that he was mentioned in the 2024 5Star Preps Preview for this season. Hall tied for 27th in the 2023 TSSAA State Tournament with rounds of 76 and 77 at Sevierville Golf Club.
“Last year, I’d never really broken par in a tournament. Now, I’ve done in it two times,” Hall said. “This was my first time shooting in the 60s. That was really nice.”
After a bogey at the par-4 first Tuesday, Hall quickly responded with consecutive birdies to get under par. A bogey at 10 pushed him back to level par. But after a properly struck recovery shot on 12 led to an eagle, Hall made a hole-in-one on the next hole. His gap wedge went the required 115 yards on the par-3 13th for an ace.
Hall saw the ball drop a foot from the hole and spin in.
“You could see everything (from the tee box). I was just really in shock,” Hall said. “I couldn’t believe it went in. It’s crazy.”
Though keeping a low round going had been an issue in the past, Hall showed his evolving maturity in the sport and shot even par over the final five holes to close out his banner day.
As for the final round, it’ll all be about how much he can stick to his game plan.
“Play steady golf,” said Hall, “and get the par 5s. Let the birdies come to you.”
FIRST ROUND SCORES … click here.
5STAR PHOTO GALLERY — The First Round of the 5STAR PREPS MASTERS (2024) presented by Brad Rose Golf