Friday, Apr. 04, 2008

Notebook: Royal golfer straightens out his game

JEFF MORROW

D.J. Solis had a great week for the Royal boys team, winning the Dolquist Invite with a 77 at Apple Tree in Yakima, then tying for fourth with a 79 at the Grandview Invite at Black Rock Creek.

"He's played the last three years with my sons (Elijah and Joe)," said Royal coach Andrew Perkins. "His distance is his strength, and he can hit farther than either of my sons."

Perkins said Solis had been struggling in past years with direction in his drive off of the tees.

"But now he's hitting it straight down the middle," Perkins said. "He works with (professional) Chris Isaacson at Tri-City Country Club. Chris has done great with D.J. on his course management."

Solis is the latest in a line of talented golfers coming through the Royal program.

Six of them have gone on to play college golf, and Solis will likely make it seven.

Perkins said the Knights get razzed by their league rivals as having the worst golf course in the league with the Royal City public course. It's nine holes created by the area's farmers on 80 acres that were apparently unsuitable for growing anything.

"It has water hazards, sand bunkers -- it's pretty difficult," Perkins said. "And since no one really knew how to build greens, every one of the greens domes -- which means it's difficult for the approaching ball to stay on the green."

One other thing: "The kids get unlimited play on it."

And practice makes perfect.

-- Pasco's Kelsey Johnson shot a 7-over 79 to win the Tri-Cities Girls Championships by nine shots at Columbia Point, but Richland placed all six of its golfers in the top 10 to claim the team title by 26 strokes over the Bulldogs, who were without senior Neddy Martinez.

Tri-Cities Championships

Columbia Point GC (par 72)

Team scores -- Richland 360, Pasco 386, Kamiakin 404, Hanford 415, Southridge 431, Kennewick 459.

Top 10 -- 1, Kelsey Johnson (P) 79; 2, (tie) Michelle Bobbie (H) and Mary McDonald (R) 88; 4, Lexie Beyers (R) 89; 5, Alexa David (R) 91; 6, Jamie Arthurs (R) 92; 7, (tie) Erin Fardell (H) and Kelsey White (R) 95; 9, Kelly Lokken (Kam) 96; 10, (tie) Becca Adamson (P), Tawnie Loudin (P) and Gina Ojeda (R) 98.

Pasco -- Karis Gamache 111. Kamiakin -- Kendrick Romine 99, Amy Verderber 100, Brooke Childers 109. Hanford -- Sarah Rausch 108, Michaela Marty 124. Southridge -- Destiny Brito 104, Lauren Goetz 105, Kylee Haynes 109, Karissa Pizzarella 113. Kennewick -- Emily Valerio 101, Star Hinojosa 109, Emilee Trost 124, Jordan Holesworth 125.

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