Around the Green

Hailey Jones Leads Women’s Stroke Play

KERRVILLE – Hailey Jones of Dallas carded an impressive 2-under par 70 in Friday’s opening round of the 2021 Women’s Stroke Play at The Club at Comanche Trace. The Oklahoma State University rising junior’s score earned her a one-shot lead over Faith Kilgore of Wimberly going into the second round of the 54-hole championship.

Jones made the turn at 1-over 37 and then turned on the jets for the back nine, making a birdie on the par-3 12th and an eagle-3 on the par-5 16th hole.

“My round started a little slow on the front nine,” Jones said. “I just told myself to stay patient and it worked on the back nine. I had a good birdie on a par three, made eagle and had a good finish.”

Jones said she made a “silly bogey” on No. 4, one of the easier par-5 holes on the course, but felt she was striking the ball well and was just waiting for her putter to warm up. After her miscue early in the round, Jones regained her focus and was 3-under for the remaining 14 holes to finish atop the leaderboard after Round 1.

But she’s not done yet.

“Just sticking to the same game plan,” Jones said of her goal for the upcoming rounds. “Playing the course a little bit smarter and seeing if I can go lower.”

Kilgore, a junior-to-be at Colorado Christian University, had a rollercoaster of a round with 2 birdies and a bogey on the front nine and 2 birdies and 2 bogies on the back nine to end the day at 1-under 71.

Elina Sinz of Kate, a rising junior at the University of Auburn, is in third place after carding an even-par 72. 

Jones is consistently a top contender in Texas Golf Association events, being a three-time Legends Junior Tour Player of the Year and a two-time Texas Junior Amateur champion. More recently, she recorded a 12^thplace finish at the Cowgirl Classic with rounds of 76-75-74.

Round 2 of the Women’s Stroke Play starts Saturday at 8 a.m. For more information, including leaderboard and pairings, click here.