Murphy leads area golfers fighting for top spots at Little People’s Golf Championships

QUINCY — A handful of area golfers positioned themselves to chase top-five finishes — possibly even championships — after the first day of the Pepsi Little People’s Golf Championships at Westview Golf Course.

Carthage’s Nolan Murphy is the closest to the top of the leaderboard, shooting a 4-over 75 on Tuesday to sit tied for second in the boys 12-13 division. He will play in the final threesome alongside Schaumburg’s Leo Enomoto, who shot a 73, and Chesterfield, Mo., golfer Isaah Kandula, who shot a 75.

In the boys 14-15 division, Quincy Notre Dame sophomore Beau Eftink is part of a cluster of golfers within five strokes of the lead.

Eftink shot a 4-over 75 and will be in the third-to-last group teeing off Wednesday. Peoria’s Jack Coulter is in the lead at 1-under 70, but there are eight others within five strokes of the lead.

Hannibal’s Quinn Thomas finds himself in similar circumstances as Eftink in the boys 16-17 division. Thomas will tee off in the third-to-last grouping after posting a 4-over 75 and is chasing a leader who shot a 1-under 70 in A.J. Hovermale of Lakeland Ranch, Fla.

Quincy High School senior Gabriel Gold is one stroke back of Thomas, carding a 5-over 76 as 22 golfers shot 79 or better.

In the girls 16-17 division, Quincy’s Saya Geisendorfer shot an 86 and is 12 strokes out of the lead, but she is only seven strokes out of the top five.