SUNRISE GOLF: Montgomery breezes to three-shot lead in Sunrise Region tournament

Taylor Montgomery was in the first group that teed off Monday at Primm Valley Golf Club. That turned out to be a big advantage for the senior from Foothill.

Montgomery, a UNLV recruit, capitalized on the calm conditions early in the afternoon to shoot a 7-under-par 65 and grabbed a three-shot lead after the first day of the Sunrise Region boys golf tournament.

The tournament concludes Wednesday at Mountain Falls Golf Course in Pahrump. The top two teams and the top five individuals from nonqualifying teams advance to the Division I state tournament on May 14 and 15 at Sierra Sage in Reno.

“I hit it solid from tee to green,” Montgomery said. “I play this course pretty well. There’s no out of bounds, so I can let it fly and get it up and down.”

Montgomery went out in 33 - he drove the par-4 sixth hole - and made back-to-back birdies on Nos. 13 and 14 to begin a strong finish on the 6,642-yard Desert Course. He scrambled to save par after a poor tee shot on No. 16 then smoked a drive just past the green on the par-4 17th and made birdie to get to 6-under.

On the par-5 18th, Montgomery knocked a 100-yard bunker shot to within two feet and tapped in for his eighth birdie as a stiff mid-afternoon breeze began to pick up.

“I’m really happy to get a solid first round,” Montgomery said. “I’m trying to do the most I can for the team so we can go to state.”

Foothill sophomore Andrew Chu also did his part with an opening-round 68 and is alone in second place. Chu made three birdies on the back nine and nearly had two more. He almost holed a chip on No. 14 and left a birdie putt inches short on the final hole.

“I thought it could have been a lower score,” Chu said. “This gives me a big confidence booster for Wednesday.”

Senior Nick Rae fired a 75 as the Falcons shot 370 and lead by one stroke over Coronado, which was paced by Michael Alvarez (71), Bradley Keyer (72) and Matt Welch (74).

Green Valley is third at 393 as Blaise McComb and Grayson Savio each shot 75.

Las Vegas’ Trey Jensen also finished at 75.