Lakewood girls golf coach Chris Walster couldn’t have put it any better.

“Drive for show, putt for dough.”

His golfer, senior Peyton Mizell, putted her way to the dough, placing 22nd overall out of 80 golfers at the 2A state tournament at the Apple Tree Golf Resort in Yakima, May 27-28.

“It was an amazing experience,” Mizell exclaimed, who ended up with an 18-hole score of 186.

As a first-time state competitor, rivaling players and coaches couldn’t believe she was able to make it through past the first cut and place well overall. Peyton had started playing golf at age 13, whereas most of the golfers at the state tournament started at age 8 or 9.

Coach Walster said he believes his golfer did so well because she “is a smart golfer. There were plenty of players that could hit the ball further, but mostly Peyton plays the game very smart, she doesn’t take chances, and she stays calm. It is a testament to her intelligence that she is such a great student of the game.”

Mizell was the second-highest placer out of the Cascade Conference, shooting a steady 91 strokes the first day and 95 the second day. Only fourth-place finisher Jennifer Lee of Sultan did better out of Mizell’s regular-season league competition.