CRAIG — The questions kept popping up.
Who is Wyndham Clark? And where is Valor Christian?
For the record, Clark is a freshman at Valor Christian, located in Highlands Ranch. The school is playing its first year of sanctioned golf.
But that hasn’t stopped Clark or the Eagles from making big noise on a big stage.
Clark shot the lone subpar round of the day, a 4-under-par 66, to take a four-shot lead after the first round of the Class 4A state tournament at Yampa Valley Golf Course. He led Valor Christian into second place with a team score of 223, two shots behind Montrose. D’Evelyn was third at 224 and Greeley Central fourth at 227.
“It’s been nice, because I think our team has flown in under the radar,” Valor Christian coach Jeff Gardella said. “I told these guys, ‘Listen, you’re going to be going up against guys that started shaving three years ago.’ Two of my guys haven’t even started shaving, I don’t think.”
Gardella said the focus of the program is on next year, but with Clark, who doesn’t shave, and sophomores Andy Meyers (81 with 41 putts) and Spencer Sheets (76), next year’s goals might have been moved up to today’s final round.
The Eagles are in position to take the team and individual championships, just two weeks after finishing third at their regional tournament.
“Our idea was to come in and play well because there was no pressure,” Gardella said. “We talked (Monday) about staying calm.”
Clark certainly did that.
The freshman had four birdies and no bogeys.
After a birdie on No. 8, Clark started to get on a roll through the back nine. He birdied holes 14, 15 and 17 and had birdie putts lip out on 16 and 18.
“I had a game plan and I just wanted to stick to it,” Clark said. “I was hitting it in the fairway and then hitting it to the center of the greens because the greens are so small that if you’re in the center of the green, you still have a short putt. Some went in and some didn’t.”
Justin Russell of Montrose and Brenden Beeg of D’Evelyn were tied for second. Favorite Nick Umholtz of Greeley Central was seven shots back.
