Montgomery’s 65 pushes Foothill into first-day team lead

RENO — At first glance, Taylor Montgomery’s opening round of the Division I state golf tournament Tuesday looks like a breeze.

The senior shot 6-under-par 65 at Sierra Sage. But it was anything but easy.

“I feel like I just went through a hurricane,” said Montgomery, who will take a two-stroke lead into today’s final round. “It was wild. Every hole on the back nine seems like I was in a bush hacking out to the center of the fairway. It’s almost impossible to have another round like I did today getting the ball up and down.”

Teammate Andrew Chu and Palo Verde’s Bradley Collett each shot 67.

Montgomery and Chu helped Foothill to the lead in the team competition as well. The Falcons shot 365 to lead Coronado by two strokes and Bishop Gorman by 10.

Despite Foothill’s strong start to the first round of play on a course none of the team members had played before, coach Paul DeSantis saw plenty of room for improvement.

“We had a few course management issues,” DeSantis said. “We could have had some big numbers out there, but they grinded. Day one is all about not losing the golf tournament.”

Chu will enter today’s final round with momentum on his side after he eagled the final two holes of the round. On the par-4 17th, Chu’s 3-wood off the tee settled about 20 feet from the cup. The sophomore drained the lengthy putt.

On the par-5 18th hole, Chu once again used his 3-wood and rolled up to within a few feet of the cup, making for an easy eagle putt.

Palo Verde’s Collett managed to save his round by scrambling to save wayward tee shots en route to his 67.

“I didn’t hit the ball too great,” Collett said. “I’d hit a bad shot, and think ‘Don’t shut down, recover and hit a par putt.’ ”

Shadow Ridge’s Ben Davis and Bishop Gorman’s Christian James are tied for fourth at 69.

Today’s final round begins at 7:30 a.m.

DIVISION I-A

Those hoping for a close finish to the Division I-A boys state golf tournament just might get their wish.

At least that’s how it is at the halfway point.

Boulder City’s Luke Logan shot a 1-over-par 72 at Sierra Sage and will take a one-stroke lead over Virgin Valley’s Kaden Atkin into today’s final round.

In the team competition, Faith Lutheran shot 394 to lead Lowry by just one shot.

Beginning his round on No. 10, Logan got off to a hot start, but ran into trouble when his putter abandoned him after the turn.

“It was a little rough,” Logan said. “I couldn’t make putts. I need to do what I did on the back nine, and I’ll be fine.”

Despite struggling to get into the clubhouse, Logan carries a one-stroke lead over Atkin into the final round.

Faith Lutheran shot the day’s most consistent round with Dallas Haun recording a 77 and his five teammates all within four strokes.

The Buckaroos, who got a 76 from Cole Erquiaga and a 77 from Ethan Gray, are on the Crusaders’ heels, and Boulder City (402) is just eight shots back.

“Given the wind and the first time seeing the course, we’re very happy,” Faith Lutheran coach Mark Cheney said. “We’ve learned some things about the course and about ourselves. We’ll look to put those things into play.”

The final round begins at 7:30 a.m. today .