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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

With the AHSAA State Golf Championships set to take place in the Birmingham area at RTJ Oxmoor Valley, multiple local golfers will get to play for glory close to home.

The Spain Park Jaguars advanced as a team to the Class 6A state championship on Monday, May 5 at Ol’ Colony Golf Club in Tuscaloosa while Oak Mountain’s Caroline Gardner and Briarwood’s Cariann Beatty advanced as individuals.

Spain Park finished second in its sub-state tournament behind Spanish Fort. The Jags finished 13-over-par as a team, three strikes behind the Toros.

Chase Kyes led the way for Spain Park once again as the Tennessee signee secured individual medalist honors. Kyes shot a 2-under-par score of 70 after earning birdies on the third, fifth, 13th, 14th and 18th holes.

It was the 16th individual victory of the career of the two-time defending Class 7A state champion. He will go for his third while leading the Jags into RTJ Oxmoor Valley in search of their second-straight team championship.

Spain Park had three golfers finish at a 5-over-par 77 on the day in Adam Russell, Rocco Saia and Luke Philley. Russell earned one birdie on the day at the 14th hole, and Saia got birdies on the fifth, 12th and 15th holes, including a score of two on the par-3 12th hole.

Philley recorded a two on the par-3 eighth hole while also hitting birdies on the first and second holes.

As for Briarwood, it will be represented by Cariann Beatty in the individual competition. She had one of the lowest scores of any team that didn’t qualify automatically after shooting an 81.

Up in Class 7A, Oak Mountain’s girls golf team finished third as a team to fall outside the top two. However, Gardner will advance to the state championship after qualifying as an individual.

The state golf championship will take place on May 12 and 13 in Homewood at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Oxmoor courses.