Green Hope senior Jake Lewis holds a two-stroke lead over the field after the first day of competition at the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A boys golf state championship at Pinehurst No. 9.

Lewis shot a 66 in the first round, putting him at 6-under on the day. His two-stroke lead is ahead of a three-way tie for second place between Jackson Bryce of Green Hope, Carson Bertagnole of Pinecrest, and Pete Myers of Pinecrest.

Seven birdies in the first round set the pace for Lewis, including four on the back nine. Lewis recorded three straight birdies on holes 14, 15, 16. His lead may have been bigger if not for a bogey on the 18th hole, a 414-yard par 4. It was his only bogey of the day.

Bryce, a sophomore at Green Hope, recorded five birdies in the first round. Every other hole was a par, with a lone bogey on the seventh hole, a 373-yard par 4.

Myers, a sophomore at Pinecrest, is also tied for second place a 4-under. Myers recorded seven birdies, but a trio of bogeys kept him out of a potential first-place tie.

Bertagnole, another Pinecrest golfer tied for second place, made headlines early in the round with a hole-in-one on the ninth hole, a 160-yard par 3. The eagle came after back-to-back birdies for Bertagnole, but a pair of bogeys on the second and sixth hole kept him at 4-under for the round. Bertagnole also recorded two birdies on the back nine.

Three golfers are tied for fifth place at 3-under — Will Harman of Charlotte catholic, Jude Carper of Hough, and John John Santospago of Piencrest. In all, 11 golfers finished the first round under par.

Pinecrest holds a narrow five-stroke lead over Green Hope in the team standings, but New Hanover is just 10 strokes out of the lead.

The Wildcats were led by sophomore Will Cherry’s score of 70 and Frank Averitt’s score of 71.

The second day of the 4A golf state championship is scheduled to resume on Tuesday morning at Pinehurst No. 9.

4A Boys Golf Individual Leaderboard: Day 1

1. Jake Lewis (Green Hope) | 66 (-6)

T2. Jackson Bryce (Green Hope) | 68 (-4)

T2. Carson Bertagnole (Pinecrest) | 68 (-4)

T2. Pete Myers (Pinecrest) | 68 (-4)

T5. Will Harman (Charlotte Catholic) | 69 (-3)

T5. Jude Carper (Hough) | 69 (-3)

T5. John John Santospago (Pinecrest) | 69 (-3)

8. Will Cherry (New Hanover) | 70 (-2)

T9. Luke Mueller (Leesville Road) | 71 (-1)

T9. Frank Averitt (New Hanover) | 71 (-1)

T9. Tyler Warner (Marvin Ridge) | 71 (-1)

4A Boys Golf Team Leaderboard: Day 1

1. Pinecrest | 278 (-10)

2. Green Hope | 283 (-5)

3. New Hanover | 288 (E)

4. Marvin Ridge | 295 (+7)

T5. Broughton | 297 (+9)

T5. Charlotte Catholic | 297 (+9)

7. Northwest Guilford | 300 (+12)

8. Hough | 306 (+18)

9. Hoggard | 308 (+20)

10. Ardrey Kell | 310 (+22)

Source: highschoolot.com