The windy conditions at the Ridges at Sand Creek Golf Course in Jordan during the Class AA state tournament weren’t helping anybody and they certainly didn’t help United South Central golfer Alex Pederson.

Pederson finished 58th overall with a two-day total of 171 and struggled with his short game Thursday in the seven holes he played before play was suspended due to lightning, but his trouble around the green only increased when he had to factor the wind into his putts.

“At the beginning of the day it was really windy and that made the greens difficult,” Pederson said. “I had to play wind in the break.”

Pederson resumed his first round on No. 17 with a birdie putt that could have keyed a run back into the top of the pack. Instead he missed the putt and settled for par, but his putting woes would continue.

“The wind was just incredible,” Rebels golf head coach Randy Halvorson said. “He was very close to shooting an 81 and had a two foot putt for par, but the wind blew the putt four feet past. 81 would have put him in a really good position.”

The wind was so bad that Halvorson said one golfer knocked in an 80 foot putt on his fourth try. On his first attempt the ball came inches shy of the cup, but the wind blew the ball all 80 feet back to where he had hit the original putt, Halvorson said. On the ensuing putt he put it past the hole by three feet and had a downhill putt that the wind blew back near the first spot, Halvorson said. Then on the fourth attempt he made it, according to Halvorson.

“The approach shots were just terrible,” Halvorson said. “The boys had a tough time getting the ball close. Every wedge into the green they could not get close to the hole.”

That was the case for Pederson as he was unable to salvage anything from his first round he continued to struggle with his putting stroke and he recorded 21 putts on the front nine en route to a 47 in the second round erasing any hope of finishing higher.

Pederson did, however, conclude his final high school round on a high note by par the last four consecutive holes to finish with a 88 for the second round.

“It was good experience,” Pederson said. “It was nice to end high school with four straight pars.”

Pederson had a strong showing of supporters from family to friends to former USC golfers turn out to give him a nice farewell audience.

“It was definitely a great experience,” said Pederson who made his first appearance at state. “Both days a lot of people came up to watch so that made it a lot more fun.”

His presence on the Rebels team will be missed after five years of varsity golf.

“It’s been a real pleasure to have such a fine young man as Alex,” Halvorson said. “He’s a real asset who always shared enthusiasm for golf with the other teammates.”