AUGUSTA — If Wednesday’s results are any indication, the SMAC golf championship battle is a one-horse race.

St. Joseph easily cruised to victory on the first day of the 36-hole tournament. The final 18 holes will be played Oct. 1.

The Bears shot 330 at Stonehedge North to easily outdistance runner-up Gull Lake, which shot 379. Battle Creek Lakeview was third (407) Portage Northern fourth (417), Portage Central fifth (428) and Niles sixth (449).

St. Joseph’s Courtney Rooker earned medalist honors with a round of 78.

Niles’ Allison Grant shot 101 to finish in 11th place after the first day.

 

SMAC Championship Day 1

At Stonehedge North, Augusta

Medalist

Courtney Rooker (SJ) 36

 

Team scores

St. Joseph 330, Gull Lake 379, Battle Creek Lakeview 407, Portage Northern 417, Portage Central 428, Niles 449, Lakeshore 457, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 458, Mattawan 463, Kalamazoo Central DNF, Benton Harbor DNR, Battle Creek Central DNF

 

Individual results

Courtney Rooker (SJ) 78, Hannah Grall (SJ) 80, Morgan Janke-Wolff (PN) 81, Jenna VandenBerg (GL) 82, Casey Singler (SJ) 85, Yuna Yang (SJ) 87, Cindy Martell (GL) 88, Julia Ryan (BCL) 88, Shanna Mais (SJ) 89, Christina Cincilla (PC) 94