Olivia Garard came into Monday's Class 4A girls state golf tournament with the attitude to have fun but also to play smart.

The Kent Denver junior did just that, carding a 1-over-par 74 on the 5,809-yard Rolling Hills Country Club course. As a result, she will carry a five-shot lead over Evergreen's Chance Forbes and Colorado Academy's Elizabeth Kresock into the final round, which begins at 8:30 a.m. today. The leaders are scheduled to tee off at 10:27.

"This course can eat you alive if you are in the wrong parts," said Garard, who came through with five birdies. "These greens are tough, but they are fun to play with. I would say that No. 11, my second bird, was a big turnaround hole for me. I also birdied No. 5, No. 12, No. 15 and No. 18."

Garard finished fifth at state as a freshman and fourth last year.

"I guess I stayed out of trouble, and I'm feeling a lot better than I have the past two years," Garardsaid. "You can easily hit a big number on this course. Today, I just eliminated my mistakes."

Indeed, it was a tough go for the majority of the 84 qualifiers; only 13 managed to shoot better than 90. In the team battle, Kent Denver grabbed a share of the lead with Colorado Academy. Each team totaled 257.

Leading the way for Colorado Academy was Kresock, last year's state runner-up, while teammates Hillary Hoffer (87) and Courtney Engle (91) also counted their rounds. Broomfield and Golden each shot 270.

"I had a much better back nine, going 41-38, so I think there a lot of easy strokes to shave on my front nine," Kresock said. "I'm really happy with the way I finished. I ended up having a 3-footer on No. 18 to make the 79. I only made one bird, and, I almost had a hole-in-one."

While a team title is out of the question for Evergreen, not so medalist honors for Forbes. She might have been solidly in second place had it not been for disaster on the 18th hole.

"I played well, but I had an 8 on 18," said Forbes, this season's Jefferson County League champion and an 11th-place finisher last year. "I was 1 over on the back nine to 18, then went to the front. I pared every hole to the sixth, then missed a ridiculous 1-footer for a bogey on that hole. I felt I played strong and I'm ready for (today)."

Glenwood Springs' Michele Stripp was the first golfer to arrive at the clubhouse with a score under 90. She shot 81 and will play today in the next-to-last threesome with Rifle's Loren Forney (82) and Broomfield's Molly Dorans (83).

Forney placed fifth last year, while Dorans is seeking to improve on a seventh-place finish. Playing in the threesome with Garard and Windsor's Erica Schlomar, Stripp fired a 39 on the front nine, then finished with a 42 on the back side.

"This is a hard course, but a lot like our home course in Glenwood, so it was a feeling like a bit of home," Stripp said. "I think that will help all of us (today). The greens are rock solid and they don't stop the ball. It just keeps going and going."

Results

At Rolling Hills Country Club, par 73

Team scores: 1, tie, Colorado Academy and Kent Denver 257, 3, tie, Broomfield and Golden 270, 5. Glenwood Springs 272, 6, tie, Rock Canyon, Windsor 286, 8. Greeley Central 292, 9. Cheyenne Mountain 306, 10. Salida 308, 11. Cherokee Trail 309, 12. Rifle 310, 13. Monte Vista 349.

INDIVIDUALS

Olivia Garard, Kent Denver, 39-35 74; Chance Forbes, Evergreen, 38-41 79; Elizabeth Kresock, Colorado Academy, 41-38 79; Michelle Stripp, Glenwood Springs, 39-42 81; Loren Forney, Rifle, 39-43 82; Molly Dorans, Broomfield 44-39 83; Brittany Johnson, Golden, 42-43 85; Michaela Breit, Greeley Central, 44-41 85; Hillary Hoffer, Colorado Academy, 43-44 87; Ashlee Samuels, Pueblo South, 47-41 88; Christina Spinzig, Evergreen, 43-45 88; Grace Duboc, Kent Denver, 46-43 89; Taylor Stolte, Golden, 45-44 89;

Emily Wood, Salida, 45-45 90; Meghann Forey, Ralston Valley, 42-48 90; Courtney Engle, Colorado Academy, 46-45 91; Justine Kemp, Cheyenne Mountain, 46-45 91; Erica Schlomer, Windsor, 47-45 92; Erika Balfanz, Windsor, 47-45 92; Kaylee Moore, Cherokee Trail, 46-46 92; Meranda Baker, Broomfield, 46-46 92; Carlie McAlister, Rock Canyon, 46-47 93; Eva Deluca, Yuma, 45-48 93; Christina Aragon, Pueblo East, 50-44 94; Jordyn Dougal, The Classical Academy, 48-46 94; Megan Innes, Moffat County, 44-50 94; Stephanie Flanagan, Kent Denver 49-45 94; Haley Robinson, Pueblo Centennial, 48-47 95; Jacquie Fankel, Broomfield 45-50 95; Kelly Meldrum, Gunnison, 48-47 95; Natasha Derby, Glenwood Springs, 46-49 95; Sara Shafer, Regis Jesuit, 49-46 95; Tessa Sullivan, Montrose, 48-47 95; Brittany Ransome, Rock Canyon, 47-49 96;

Kristyn Hudgens, Pueblo East, 45-51 96; Liz Saint, Estes Park, 48-48 96; Maggee Becker, Glenwood Springs, 47-49 96; Tayler Bull, Golden, 47-49 96; Corey Broker, Cheyenne Mountain, 49-48 97; Danielle Tafoya, Montrose, 49-48 97; Kaity Plath, Battle Mountain, 48-49 97; Katie Ferraro, Broomfield, 47-50 97; Laura Gritz, Rock Canyon, 49-48 97; Bayley Clarke, Colorado Academy, 47-51 98; Jeanette Baker, Eagle Valley, 52-46 98; Trisha Vinci, Rye, 50-48 98; Sarah Wilie, Canon City, 51-48 99; Jordan Webber, Mountain Range, 49-52 101; Kelsie Betz, Pueblo West, 53-48 101; Kylie Chrisman, Greeley Central, 52-49 101; Alexandra Hauber, Mullen, 52-20 102; Kristen Heiden, Windsor, 59-43 102; Kara Sullivan, St. Mary's, 53-51 104;

Katie Hocheder, Brush, 51-53 104; Kori Kosht, Rifle, 50-54 104; Margo Berends, Cherokee Trail, 52-52 104; Siobahn Kahanic, Limon, 51-53 104; Alissa Aldea, La Junta, 52-53 105; Arly Landry, Gunnison, 52-53 105; Candace Hsu, Alamosa, 53-52 105; Darian Amen, Greeley Central, 56-50 106; Riley Johnson, Salida, 49-57 106; Taelor Mullins, Monte Vista, 53-53 106; Kacie Kyne, Ridgway, 55-52 107; Cara Jorgensen, Fountain-Fort Carson, 53-55 108; Dani Look, Castle View, 54-54 108; Samantha Lee, Rock Canyon, 57-51 108; Danielle Govea, Alamosa, 54-55 109; Elissa Dominguez, Trinidad, 55-54 109; Michaela Worley, Fleming, 53-56 109;

Sawyer Bisel, Canon City, 56-53 109; Heather Nicholoson, Moffat County, 55-56 111; Kendall Gonzales, Salida, 51-61 112; LaNae Wadleigh, La Junta, 55-57 112; Jazlynn Armstrong, Brush, 58-55 113; Marlie Fisher, Cherokee Trail, 62-51 113; Chelsey Walker, Cherokee Trail, 56-58 114; Frankie DeGarbo, Pueblo Central, 58-57 115; Kelsey Moore, Salida, 59-57 116; Becky Nelson, Cheyenne Mountain, 55-63 118; Chrissy Thon, Elizabeth, 60-61 121; Stephanie Atkins, Monte Vista, 57-64 121; Mary Kelloff, Monte Vista, 60-62 122; Mercedes Balado, Rifle, 63-61 124.