RIDGEFIELD — Spencer Tibbits wanted to put himself in position to win the Class 3A state boys golf tournament.
Spencer Long just wanted to make the cut.
The two freshmen from Clark County high schools will be in the final group in the final round Thursday at Tri-Mountain Golf Course.
Tibbits, of Fort Vancouver, shot the round of the day, a 2-under-par 70, in the first group of the tournament Wednesday morning.
Hours later, Columbia River’s Long posted a 71.
“I honestly am surprised,” Long said of his round. “I played better than I was hoping to.”
Long tied his best score for 18 holes, but he said his previous 71 came from white tees during a recreational outing. This was a 71 using the blue championship tees under tournament conditions.
“Never played like that before,” Long said.
Which leads to an interesting setup going into the final round.
“I came here to win,” said Tibbits, a quiet golfer who prefers to let his play speak volumes.
Long said that his goal is simply to stay in the top 10. He fired back-to-back 79s at the district tournament, so for now he just wants to enjoy this moment — this 71 — and not concern himself too much about the title on the line.
“I feel like Spencer (Tibbits) is the best golfer in the state,” Long said. “I’d have to play like I did today again. Two days in a row to play like that? My goal is mid-70s and stay in the top 10.”
Tibbits called his round “consistent.”
“I hit a lot of greens and didn’t make very many mistakes,” said Tibbits, who had three birdies and one bogey. “I just wanted to shoot under par and get off to a good start.”
Grant Cole of Interlake was alone in third place with a 72.
Two-time defending 3A state champion Frank Garber of Juanita was tied for fourth with a 73.
“If I go out there and make some more putts tomorrow, I’ll be good,” Garber said
The top 40 players plus ties made the cut for the final round.
Joining Tibbits and Long from Clark County are Brandon Barnes of Columbia River (77) and Zach Ng of Mountain View (77).
Barnes, who tied for 13th at this event last season, said he had a lot of fun playing so close to home, but he hopes to play better in the final round.
Ng, a senior, said he did not let himself get too nervous.
“I just tried to have fun, and make it a normal day of golf,” he said.
It was not a normal day for the leaders.
Spencer Tibbits is right where he wants to be going into the final round.
Spencer Long is in a place he never figured he would be in going into the final round.
On Thursday, they will find themselves playing together in the same group, beginning the day in first and second place.
