PUTTER DISBELIEF

Sometimes the putter is kind to Maddi Kamas.

Other days, not so much.

In Thursday’s final round of the Class 4A girls state golf tournament, it was perhaps as cruel as it’s ever been.

Kamas missed a five-foot par putt on the final hole to miss out on forcing a playoff with Hilldale’s Kenzie Kirkhart. Instead, the Kingfisher High School sophomore had to settle for state runner-up, ending a streak of seven straight tournaments she’d won.

“Maddi didn’t have the outcome that we wanted, but that doesn’t take away from her awesome season,” said KHS girls golf coach Audra Smalley.

“Seven straight tournament wins and state runner-up is an impressive performance.”

Kamas’s tap-in for bogey on the tournament’s 36th hole gave her a 4-over-par 74 for the round and a 147 for the tournament held at Lake Hefner Golf Club’s south course in Oklahoma City.

Kirkhart was in third place after Wednesday’s opening round with a 76. She shot even-par Thursday.

She finished her round before Kamas, whose three-putt bogey on No. 7 (her 16th hole as KHS began its round on No. 10 Thursday) capped a frustrating seven-hole stretch.

After a birdie on No. 18, Kamas started her back-nine with a bogey on No. 1 to fall back to 3-over for her round.

She then had manageable birdie putts on her next five holes, but came away with a par on each one of them. Admittedly for Kamas, her putter kept her from having a larger lead after Wednesday’s 73 left her one stroke ahead of Hilldale’s Jordan Clayborn.

“For a while now, confidence with my putter has been a struggle,” Kamas said. “When I start to consistently miss a few of the easy putts, I get nervous.

“Even though in my head I tell myself to not let it affect me, I know it does. I just don’t realize it.”

Still, Kamas was able to drain a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 8 to pull even with Kirkhart, whose round was done.

A par on the final hole would tie Kirkhart. Clayborn shot a 75 on the second day and finished at 149.

A birdie for Kamas would win it.

Her drive off the ninth tee box went left and Kamas found herself behind some trees.

“Honestly, I had an open punch shot. I knew it was one I could make and Coach Smalley said ‘go for it,’” Kamas said.

“I was pretty fired up and I told myself to not leave it short (of the green), so I hit a really good punch shot with just a little too much steam.”

Kamas’s shot hit the green but bounced off the back side.

Her chip shot went five feet past the cup, setting her up for the potential of a playoff with a par.

But the playoff never happened.

It was the second straight state tournament disappointment for Kamas.

As a freshman, she was in sixth place and six strokes off the lead after the first day.

Inclement weather, however, canceled the second day, denying her a chance to make a run at the individual crown.

“I’m very proud of the way I hit the ball these last two days,” Kamas said after Thursday’s round. “A few of my shots could have been better, but overall I’m very happy with my ball striking.”

Now she plans to use the fuel of this year’s setback for another hopeful run at a championship in 2020.

“This was my first true state experience since the second day got cancelled last year,” she said. “Now I know what to expect and look forward to.”

Smalley sees it much the same way.

“I admire her hard work and dedication,” Smalley said. “And now she is more determined than ever.”