East's Stewart, Norfolk's Bruening in front

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BY KEN HAMBLETON / Lincoln Journal Star

Of course it was windy at Highlands Golf Course for the first round of the Class A state golf tournament.

“It’s always windy here, kind of like a Scottish course, links-style and the wind blowing,” said Lincoln East coach Jim Tonninges.

But it didn’t keep East’s Taylor Stewart or defending champion Scott Bruening of Norfolk from scoring 1-over-par 73 Tuesday on the wind-swept course.

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A shot of the Class A boys state golf tournament Tuesday. (Michael Paulsen)

A shot of the Class A boys state golf tournament Tuesday. (Michael Paulsen)

Andy Sajevic of Fremont, last year’s runner-up to Bruening in a playoff, is tied with Kevin Stanek of Bellevue East at 74.

Southwest senior Austin Zimmerman rallied to shoot 1-under 35 on the back nine to finish at 75 and in a tie for fifth with teammate Jake Hedgecock, Creighton Prep teammates William Pieper and Mark Stovie, and Fremont freshman Connor Stovie.

Southwest took the first-round lead of the tournament for the fourth year in a row. Zimmerman, Hedgecock finished at 3-over, while teammates Bryce Brown and Brandon Boosalis shot 79.

The Silver Hawks, who won last year and finished runner-up the two previous years, posted a best-four-of-five-man team score of 308. Fremont is two strokes back and Creighton Prep is third at 311.

Stewart, the only representative from 11-time state champion East to make it to state this year, had to overcome a slow start to get rolling into the tie for the lead.

“I had bogeys on 4, 5 and 7, and was a chip-in away from four bogeys in a five-hole stretch on the front nine,” Stewart said. “But you remind yourself, it’s a two-day tournament, 36 holes. You can’t win this in one day, but you can lose it in one round. So I tried to get it together for the finish.”

Stewart was strong on the back nine until he shanked an approach shot and finished with a bogey on No. 18.

Bruening, who will walk on at Nebraska next year to join his brother Chris, said he rode the roller coaster all day.

“You keep yourself in the present, play golf and have some fun,” he said. “I was even par on the front with some pretty good shots and got into some trouble on the back nine, but finished OK.

“I had to hit a lot of knockdown shots because of the winds and the firmness of the greens, but I feel good about getting into the last group,” he said.

Travis Johnson led Lincoln Southeast to a tie for sixth place. Johnson shot a 76 despite a very tough start.

“I lost a ball on my first drive of the day and wondered what was next,” he said.

But Johnson posted a birdie on No. 11 and almost hit his second shot in for eagle on No. 13. “I think the fact we didn’t do well as a team in districts took a lot of pressure off. We should be in the thick of everything after tomorrow.”

Reach Ken Hambleton at 473-7313 or khambleton@journalstar.com.