SEMINOLE — Osceola’s Haydyn Gibson made it clear from the beginning of Thursday’s Mustang Invitational that she would be the player to catch.
Gibson started her round with three birdies, survived a few bogeys and finished with a 3-under 68 at Seminole Lake Country Club to win individual medalist honors by three shots over Northside Christian’s Alyssa Lamoureux.
Osceola also took the team title with a score of 315. Cambridge Christian was second at 348 and St. Petersburg third at 353.
“I was very surprised by my start,” said Gibson, who started on the 12th hole in the shotgun start tournament. “I was just trying to start with pars, and the putts went in. I was really feeling it.”
Gibson had six birdies and three bogeys during the first 18-hole tournament of the season. She was the only player in the field to break par. Her 68 was two shots off Brittany Lincicome’s tournament record.
In two nine-hole events this season, Gibson shot 33 and 34.
“I like the 18-hole events better,” she said. “In the nine-hole events, there is no room for error. But in the 18-hole events, you can make some mistakes and still have time to make up for it.”
Like Gibson, Lamoureux also made few mistakes. She had two birdies, two bogeys and 14 pars for an even-par 71.
“I had a lot of pars, so I’d say it was a consistent round,” Lamoureux said. “I’ve been playing pretty consistently. My putting hasn’t been the greatest, but it was okay today.”
Osceola won the team championship for the first time, snapping a streak of three wins by Academy of the Holy Names.
Aside from Gibson, Osceola was helped by Madison Heileman (77), Lauren Morris (84) and Sophie Smoot (89). Cambridge Christian got three solid rounds to help it finish second. Ashley Zagers shot 75 to finish tied for fourth. Alison Armstrong shot 76 and Sarah Noto 83.
St. Petersburg’s Mariana Ocano was third overall at 74.
Like all area courses, Seminole Lake received plenty of rain Wednesday. The course was soggy, so players were allowed to use lift, clean and place for balls in the fairway.
“That helped a lot,” Gibson said. “It was very wet out there.”