NATCHEZ &045; Matthew Hall stood hunched over on the far side of the Beau Pr Country Club putting green, facing the clubhouse, nuzzling 30- to 40-footers well within the grip.

Impressive stuff, but not where Cathedral’s No. 3 golfer needed to be sharpening his flatstick skills.

Hall’s Achilles heel came from close range during the first round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 1A State Championship at Beau Pr Wednesday.

The Green Wave’s team score of 340 left them six strokes back of tournament leader Union, which also got the best individual performance of the day from Jonathan Winstead, who shot an even-par 72.

The lead group, which includes Cathedral sophomore Jordan Farmer, tees off at 7:30 a.m. today

&uot;I couldn’t make any putts. I needed to make those six-footers that drifted a little bit to the right,&uot; said Hall, who has called Beau Pr his home course for the last three years. &uot;It’s definitely not too hard to overcome. This is our home course, and I know Jake (Kaiser) and I can shoot at least 10 strokes better than how we did (Wednesday). You can’t let this course play you. It’s hurt a lot of people.&uot;

Farmer was challenging Winstead putt for putt, making the turn at 1-under before getting it to two in red figures before bogies at Nos. 13 and 14 brought him back to even for the day.

Then, a disastrous triple at the enticing short par-3 16th, guarded by water, put Farmer three in the black before finishing with a 4-over 76, still respectable to head coach Ken Beesley Jr.

&uot;We didn’t putt well today. My Nos. 2 and 3 (Kaiser and Hall) can score six to eight strokes better than (Wednesday),&uot; Beesley said. &uot;The putter wasn’t working well for them all day. If you can’t putt, you won’t score.&uot;

Kaiser finished at 84, Mary Kate Byrne ay 93 and Aaron Murray at 95.

The top four scores count for a team’s cumulative score.

Union head coach Brad Breland had the same complaint as Beesley, with his Nos. 2 and 3 golfers turning in subpar performances.

The Yellowjackets got a surprise 84 from their No. 4 Daniel Johnson, but Ian Ferrell and Tyler Hansford managed an 87 and a 91, respectively. Casey Shackelford added a 95.

&uot;Overall, I’m happy. Some of them could’ve done better, but I had a lot step up and play well,&uot; Breeland said. &uot;With the conditions and everything, that’s a good score.&uot;

Winstead got his morning started by going out in 34, thanks to birdies at the two par-fives at Nos. 3 and 8. He sandwiched a bogey in at the sixth before birdieing the 410-yard ninth.

Winstead found the back more challenging, managing just one birdie &045; the same No. 16 that gave Farmer fits &045; to go with a trio of bogeys at Nos. 12, 13 and 17.

&uot;The undulations are what do it for me here,&uot; said Winstead, who has played in the Gulf States PGA’s Thanksgiving Classic at Beau Pr before. &uot;I can hit it straight, but my putting is the weakest part of my game. I think I only missed three greens and only had one three-putt. On greens like this that are quick and sloping, that’s good.&uot;

St. Aloysius’ Bryant Chase Smith finished with a six-over 78 to join Winstead and Farmer as the leaders.

Smith was the only Flash to break 80, as two St. Al golfers shot 100 or worst. The Flashes stand in fifth place at 367, 33 shots back of Union.

West Union sits five back of the Green Wave for second place at 345, while DeSoto Central’s 361 was good enough for fourth.

&uot;I’d rather be in the lead, but six (strokes) can be made up if we play like we’re capable,&uot; said Beesley, who added it’s no surprise Union and West Union are near the top. &uot;If we have another bad day, it won’t happen. I figure we’ll have to shoot between 320 and 325 (today).&uot;