Roth makes history

AMES — Roman Roth will forever be etched in the history of Washington High School athletics.

On Tuesday, the Washington junior simply dominated Day 2 of the Class 3A boys state golf tournament. After coming into the day with a three-shot lead, Roth shot a two-under 70 on Day 2 to run away from the field.

He is the first ever boys’ golf state champion in Demon history.

“I think this just shows the type of player that Roman is,” said Washington boys golf coach Collin Stark. “We just went about it like a normal tournament.”

Roth immediately stretched his lead with an eagle on Hole 10, his first hole of the day. He followed that up by making four birdies on the day, including three in his last seven holes.

“I didn't think the nerves were that bad,” Roth said. “I think I was pretty confident going down the stretch.”

It was his second eagle on Hole 10 on the weekend. On Monday, he struggled on the next two holes, going double bogey on 11 and 12, but on Tuesday, he kept things on the right path with a pair of pars.

“Early on the first day was kind of a struggle,” Roth said. “It was a very interesting start.”

Despite the pressures of a lead coming into Day 2, Roth never wavered.

“I just kind of played it cool,” said Roth. “I had some Chick-fil-A for breakfast, so that was pretty good.”

Roth wound up winning the tournament by eight strokes, beating out second-place Davis Korver of MOC-Floyd Valley, who finishe at +7. Roth ended the tournament at -1, shooting 143.

“It doesn't show on the course, with what he was able to shoot, but this is a college course,” Stark said. “It's challenging.”

Roth made two eagles and nine birdies in the tournament. The two back-to-back doubles on Monday were his only two double bogeys of the tournament.

Roth ended Day 2 with a birdie on Hole 9. As he walked off the course, the congratulations were already coming in.

“I knew I had won it, but a lot of my friends from other schools were congratulating me,” Roth said. “It was really nice.”

Roth returned home to applause at Washington Golf and Country Club on Tuesday night, and before too long, his picture will be up on the walls at Washington High School.

“It's the first ever in our school history,” Stark said. “That's a big thing.”