The links were pristine; the weather cloudy but dry and warm at the par-72 Apple Tree Golf Course in Yakima.

The only problem? That back nine.

South Whidbey golfers Brandi Winn, Shane Thompson and Harrison Price headed home from state 2A golf finals after missing the cut on the first day of the May 25 tournament.

Winn missed it by a single stroke with 83, placing 41st out of eighty competitors, so she wasn’t allowed to play the second day’s round.

No girls from the Cascade Conference made the cut. The eventual winner was Alexis Keating of Elma.

“Brandi played very well on the first nine, but struggled on a par-5 hole that just got away from her,” said Falcon girls coach Tom Sage.

For the boys, the cut to qualify for the second day was 80; Price shot 82 and Thompson shot 100.

“I was two-over on the front nine, but had a couple bad holes on the back end that took me out,” Price recalled. “But it was a great experience and, since Shane and I are juniors, we’ll be back next year.”

Thompson admitted his disappointment.

“I had fun, no doubt, but I also had high expectations,” he said. “Mentally, when things went bad on certain holes, I overcorrected and some bad habits crept in. The bottom line is that I wasn’t consistent, and that’s what you have to be when you play at this level.”

Falcon boys coach Steve Jones said conditions were great at the Apple Tree course, but the competition this year was stiff.

“Both golfers learned valuable lessons which will pay big dividends for them and the whole team in the future,” he added.

“Regardless of their performance at state, I could not be more proud of Shane and Harrison for their persistence and positive attitide throughout the tournament,” Jones said. “They, and Brandi, represented their school and the South Whidbey community with dignity and spirit.”