Ashley Gilliam, Sophie Linder set Schooldays qualifying stroke-play record with 62s

The Tennessean

Ashley Gilliam is looking to become just the third girl to win three straight Schooldays championships.

Ashley Gilliam and Sophie Linder both shot 10-under 62 Tuesday to set a Tennessean/Metro Parks Schooldays qualifying stroke-play record and tie the McCabe course record.

This is the 94th year of the Schooldays tournament.

Gilliam, a 16-year-old Mississippi State commitment from Manchester, eagled the par-5 third before birdieing holes No. 4, 5 and 6. She shot 5-under 31 on the front nine. Linder also made the turn at 5-under 31 before reeling off seven birdies in her final nine holes.

“I like the course, hit it really well and putted well,” said Linder, a 13-year-old from Carthage making her Schooldays debut. “I just played good today. It felt good, and I’m ready for match play (Wednesday).”

More:Schooldays first-round results, match play pairings

The course record of 62 was set by Leigh Wilkins in the 2014 Municipal Open.

Gilliam, the two-time defending champion, won medalist honors via tiebreaker, and will face eighth-seeded Shelly Jang of Franklin in Wednesday’s 8:12 a.m. match-play quarterfinals. Linder will take on No. 7 Sadie Pan of Clarksville at 8:28 a.m.

Gilliam, whose mother, Jennifer Haley, is one of just two three-time girls champions (1989, 1990, 1991), has a chance to become the first player to four-peat in tournament history.

“I don't feel too much pressure,” Gilliam said. “I just have to play it like I normally would.”

Brentwood’s Trenton Johnson, Clarksville’s Patton Samuels, Hendersonville’s Logan Spurrier and Houston County’s Morgan Robinson each shot 4-under 66 to finish tied atop Tuesday's boys leaderboard.

Johnson, the 2017 Tennessean boys golfer of the Year, won a Class AAA individual title while also helping lead Brentwood to its second consecutive team championship in 2016. He is the younger brother of 2014 Schooldays champion and Louisville sophomore Trevor Johnson.

Franklin’s Jack Morris and Alex McClimans both finished at 3-under 67.

Reach Michael Murphy at mfmurphy@tennessean.com, 615-269-8026 and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports.