VERONA, Wis.– The first day of the 2019 State Boys Golf Tournament set up a competitive Day 2 of the event at University Ridge Golf Course in Madison.

Defending Division 1 team championship Marquette finished the first day with the lead in the standings, shooting a four-player score of 296, which is 8-over-par on 18 holes. Middleton is in second place with a score of 303, and Badger is third, 18 strokes back at 306.

Blake Wisdom of Badger holds a one-stroke lead after the first day, shooting a 2-under-par 70. He is attempting to improve on his seventh-place finish a year ago. There are five individuals tied for second place at -1, including Russell Dettmering of Merrill, who finished fifth a year ago; Nick Schroeder of Mukwonago; Preston Cedergren of Bay Port, who tied for ninth in 2018; Jack Blair of Marquette, who placed sixth last season; and two-time defending champion Piercen Hunt of Arrowhead. 

Two-time defending team champion Edgewood has the team lead in Division 2 at the end of Day 1 by the narrowest of margins at +17 with a four-player score of 305, one stroke ahead of Lakeland.

Joe Forsting of Edgerton, who finished 13th last year, shot a blistering 5-under-par for the first round to lead all Division 2 competitors. Kyle Bengston of Lakeland, who tied for third last year, and Ty Kretz of Marinette ended the first day positioned second on the individual leaderboard, four strokes behind Forsting at -1.

Roncalli led the Division 3 team standings throughout the first day, shooting a four-player score of 330 at +42. Abundant Life Christian/Madison Country Day is second, five strokes back at +47.

Drake Wilcox of Sheboygan Lutheran finished his first round with the individual lead in Division 3 after placing third last season. He shot a 2-under-par 70 for the day. Ian Behringer of Roncalli, Jack Rollins of Abundant Life Christian/Madison Country Day and last year's runner-up Doyle Kelly of St. Mary’s Springs are each tied for second place in at +4, six shots behind Wilcox.

The 2019 State Boys Golf Tournament continues Wednesday with the Divisions 2 and 3 teeing off at 7 a.m. at University Ridge in Verona.  Division 1 play begins at noon.

# WIAA #