Christine Fields (John Fisken photo)
Christine Fields has played seven rounds at the state golf tournament over the past four years, but Wednesday was her best.
So far.
The Coupeville High School senior kicked off her final prep adventure by firing an 83 at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco, putting her in fifth place out of 40 golfers.
Fields, who has finished 8th, 15th and 5th in her three previous trips to the 1A championships, sits seven strokes behind defending champ Lauryn Keating of Elma (76), one of her first round partners.
Lucy Mitchum of Highland and Charis Tsai of King’s are tied for second at 78, while Hannah Roh of King’s, Fields other Wednesday playing mate, carded an 81.
Despite the pressure of playing as part of the day’s premier trio (Keating, Roh and Fields were the top returning players from 2014), the Lone Wolf held up well.
“I’ll be back for the round tomorrow!,” Fields said. “I hung in there playing with the first girls out; I just had five three-putts and a four-putt.
“I hit the ball great; the greens were just another story.”
During the regular season Fields trained and traveled with South Whidbey, since Coupeville doesn’t have a golf program.
All four Falcons who are at state — Rosie Portillo (84), Tarra Moore (87), Kolby Heggenes (88) and Grace Stringer (91) — joined Fields in advancing to the tourney’s final round.
King’s and Highland, with two golfers apiece, are the only other schools with more than one girl still playing, giving the Langley links masters a strong shot at a team title.
Stringer, who is in a tie for 19th place, barely made the cut, as duffers who shot 92 or worse ended up being lopped.
Only 20 of the 40 golfers advanced to Thursday.
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