Two local golfers were recognized as the female and male Tri-State Roofing and Sheet Metal low rounds of the day during Monday’s Callaway Junior Tour stop at Parkersburg Country Club. Madilyn Buttrey, left, from Williamstown won the girls 15-18 age division after shooting a 5-over par 78. Jude Walker, right, from Elizabeth, won the boys 13-14 age division after shooting a round of 2-under par 71. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

VIENNA – Several golfers atop the leaderboard in their respective age divisions managed to overcome a rough start to their round during Monday’s Callaway Junior Tour stop at Parkersburg Country Club.

For Jude Walker, it was smooth sailing from the get-go in what he basically referred to as a ‘boring’ round. Boring may be the new catch phrase for excellence because the 14-year-old from Elizabeth turned the low round of the day with a 2-under par 71.

“I feel like I didn’t make many mistakes – I avoided all the double bogeys, which is my goal at the end of the day,” Walker said. “I just kept playing the ball in front of me all day. I was spraying the ball a little bit off the tee, but nothing drastic. I also putted well.”

Bentley Shirkley from Barboursville closed one stroke back at 1-under 71.

“I didn’t do anything super special all day,” Walker said. “There was nothing really big going on. It was a pretty boring round of golf. It was kind of a cruise control round of golf. It felt nice.”

Madilyn Buttrey hits her approach shot on the 18th hole during Monday’s Callaway Junior Tour at Parkersburg Country Club.(Photo by Kerry Patrick)

While Walker was recognized for the Tri-State Roofing and Metal low round on the boys side, Williamstown’s Madilyn Buttrey managed to put three bogeys over her first four holes behind her and win the girls 15-18 age division by turning in the low female round of the day at 5-over 79.

“This summer, I’ve been struggling lately – I just told myself to keep going and it will be all right,” Buttrey said. “I feel happy about my score. It’s definitely my best score here.”

Buttrey, who will enter her junior year in the fall, shot her lowest round at PCC despite taking a double-bogey on her final hole. She won by the slimmest of margins as Isabelle Studli from Fairfield., Pa., shot 6-over 80.

“I birdied the seventh hole, so that was good,”Buttrey said. “The last hole at number nine was one of my worst holes, but my score ended up being fine.”

A total of three golfers finished in red numbers, including recent Parkersburg South High School grad Parker Vannoy, who opened with a quadruple 9 on his first hole then immediately shifted his game in the right direction for a 1-under 72 and a one-stroke victory over current South golfer Cam Fallon in the boys 17-18 age division.

Jude Walker from Elizabeth watches his approach shot from the No. 18 fairway during Monday’s Callaway Junior Tour at Parkersburg Country Club. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

The two individuals played in the same foursome.

“I didn’t hit any balls on the range – they were running out of balls when I arrived,” Vannoy said. “So I was a little stiff. On that first hole, I hit two balls (out of bounds). After that, I tried to stay positive and not get down on myself.”

A chip-in for eagle on the sixth hole and a chip-in for birdie on No. 8 helped Vannoy play the front nine at 3-under 33.

Vannoy, who will join the golf team at West Virginia Tech in the fall, now turns his attention to the West Virginia Open. The first of three rounds begins Wednesday at Sleepy Hollow Golf Club.

“Cam and I talked about how much fun it was going to be to play in the West Virginia Open,” Vannoy said. “I absolutely love that course.”

Marietta’s Brayden Parsons walks toward the green at the ninth hole during Monday’s Callaway Junior Tour at Parkersburg Country Club. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Recent Marietta High School grad Brayden Parsons placed in a tie for fifth in the boys 17-18 division after carding a 4-over 77. Parsons, who plans to attend West Virginia University at Parkersburg, bogeyed three of his first three holes on Monday before getting on track with a pair of pars followed by consecutive birdies over a four-hole span.

“After that stretch, I figured whatever I shoot is whatever it is,” Parsons said. “I just went and played. My driver got me back on track, for sure. I started hitting it down the middle and that really helped me.”

Among the local golfers also posting a top 5 finish were the brother combination of Titus and JJ Smith from Middlebourne in the boys 13-14 division. Titus Smith got bragging rights over his older brother by two strokes after placing third with a 3-over 76.

Titus Smith took a double-bogey on his third hole for the day then pencilled in only two bogeys the rest of the round to go with two birdies.

“I’ve had this problem where I fizzle, so today I tried to fizzle less and less – I just didn’t feel like i fizzled today,” Titus Smith said.”My driving, chipping and putting were working. Had some trouble with my irons.”

With a tee in his mouth, Parkersburg’s Cooper Sams stays focused and chips from just off the green at the ninth hole during Monday’s Callaway Junior Tour at Parkersburg Country Club. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Age group winners also included Hurricane’s Parker O’Dell finishing 3-over 76 in the boys 15-16 age group, Hurricane’s Maddox Woollard shooting 10-over 83 in the boys 12-under and Elkins’ Valentina Aguilar carding a 16-over 90 in the girls 10-14 division.

Parker Vannoy, left, and Cameron Fallon watch a tee shot from a member of their group during Monday’s Callaway Junior Tour at Parkersburg Country Club.Vannoy and Fallon finished first and second, respectively, in the boys 17-18 age division. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Ryder Higginbotham from Hurricane chips from out of the rough on the 18th hole during Monday’s Callaway Junior Tour at Parkersburg Country Club. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Jack McLean, who is entering his senior year at Parkersburg High School, hits his tee shot at No. 10 during Monday’s Callaway Junior Tour at Parkersburg Country Club. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Ellenboro’s Cooper Hall, right, enjoys a light-hearted moment during his round at Monday’s Callaway Junior Tour stop at Parkersburg Country Club. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Williamstown golfer Madilyn Buttrey surveys her next shot during Monday's Callaway Junior Tour at Parkersburg Country Club. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)