Pinecrest junior Carson Bertagnole found some momentum at the turn at the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A boys golf state championship on Monday.

On the first day of the two-day competition at Pinehurst No. 9, Bertagnole ended the front nine with a hole-in-one on the ninth hole, a 160-yard par three.

The ninth hole features a sloping green that is flanked by a large body of water on the left side and a bunker on the back side.

Bertagnole, one of the favorites at the 4A state championship after a third-place finish last year and winning the Mideast regional championship last week, was +2 through the first six holes. Birdies on the seventh and eighth hole led to his hole-in-one eagle on the ninth.

At the turn, Bertagnole was -2 on the day with a 34 on the front nine, tied with fourth other golfers for third place, and just one stroke out of the lead.

Last fall, Bertagnole committed to UNC to play college golf. He was named to the HighSchoolOT All-State Team as a sophomore.

The NCHSAA boys golf state championships will conclude on Tuesday. Pinecrest is the favorite to win the team title. Last week, the Patriots shot a combined score of -12 at the 4A Mideast regional championship.

Pinecrest won the 4A state championship last season.

HighSchoolOT has a crew at the golf state championship and will have more coverage later today.

Source: highschoolot.com