SISSONVILLE, W.Va. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Grant Roush earned some bragging rights among his family members during WednesdayÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s opening round of the 91st West Virginia Open.
A junior golfer at Wahama High School, Roush shot 2-over-par 73 to best his uncle, Ty Roush, and father, Mitch Roush.
The Roushes are owners of the Riverside Golf Club in Mason, so golf is in young GrantÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s blood.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHe was the low Roush,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ said GrantÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s mom, Erin, who watched her son tee off on Thursday to start the second round.
Roush isnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t the only high schooler in the field of 132 golfers. Roush is in a group that includes Winfield junior Gavin Martin and Washington junior Tommy Evans.
Martin has Generals teammates Andrew Johnson and Jackson Woodburn playing in the Open at Edgewood Country Club in Sissonville as well.
- By RICK ELMORE relmore@hdmediallc.com
Carson OÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™Dell, 17, of Hurricane is in the field, as is Parker OÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™Dell, 14, among others.
Evans won the Class AAA individual state championship in 2023. The Patriots also won the team title.
The 91st Open is the second such tournament for Evans, who competed in 2022 but missed the cut. Although the field of the best amateurs and pros from across West Virginia are in the tournament, Evans is eager to prove himself.
- By RICK ELMORE relmore@hdmediallc.com
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s definitely exciting to be here because IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m a better player than I was two years ago,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ said Evans, who shot 1-under-par 70 on the first day of the tournament. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s good competition. These guys are people IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve always looked up to.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Roush won the individual title in Class A in 2023, although the White Falcons lost out on a team championship to Wheeling Central Catholic and Summers County.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe last 10 holes, I was 2-under,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ said Roush. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œYou canÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t miss fairways (at Edgewood). I wasnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t hitting my driver as hard.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
While Evans and Roush have experience playing the West Virginia Open ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s RoushÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s third ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Martin was playing in his first. Although heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s played at Edgewood on multiple occasions, he hadnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t learned the courseÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s lessons.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œYou have to stay on the fairways,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Martin said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œYou just canÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t hit out of the rough here.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
The high school golf season in West Virginia will begin Monday, with the first competitions permitted on Tuesday.
