Free State golfer Nick Burkart eyes a putt on the seventh green. Burkart shot an 83 Monday at Sycamore Ridge Golf Course in Spring Hill and qualified for state.

Spring Hill ? Nick Burkart hasn’t had the best luck in the Class 6A boys state golf tournament.

The Free State senior qualified his sophomore year, but blew out a tire on the way to Hutchison and couldn’t compete. During his junior year, Burkart’s hotel in Dodge City lost power and air conditioning amid humid, 100-degree weather.

Maybe in a week, Wichita will be Burkart’s lucky destination.

He qualified individually for the state tournament with an 83 Monday at Sycamore Ridge Golf Course.

“I’m scared to take him again,” Free State coach Matt Gudenkauf said jokingly. “Last year the power didn’t go on until 10 at night.”

The top three teams at Monday’s regional – Olathe East, Shawnee Mission Northwest and Olathe South – advanced to state. Free State finished fifth, and Lawrence High was seventh.

The top five individuals from teams that didn’t make state also advanced to Wichita. Burkart, along with his younger cousin of 11 days, Allen Burkart, took two of the five places. Allen Burkart shot 84.

Conditions weren’t exactly favorable. Only three competitors finished in the 70s.

“The wind dried out the greens and completely changed the front nine from yesterday,” Nick Burkart said.

The wind knocked over several golf bags players stood up near the greens. On the 12th hole, Nick Burkart played the swirling wind to his advantage.

The downhill par-4 played 300 yards. A creek ran down the length of the hole on the right side, requiring an accurate drive. Nick Burkart took the driver out of his bag and literally scared the group in front of him.

“It landed about a foot from the guy,” Burkart said. “The guys were still on the green in front of us and started waving at me. He put his arms up, then we knew it was on the green. I hit it to about 12 feet and left the eagle putt an inch short. I made a birdie, so I had a little bit of confidence after that. Two holes later, I made another birdie.”

Allen Burkart, a senior, will play in his first state tournament Monday. He’s recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered about three weeks ago in a tournament at Meadowbrook Golf and Country Club in Prairie Village.

“(Sunday) we came out for a practice round and told him to take it easy,” Gudenkauf said. “I really didn’t want him hitting his driver more than once or twice just to get a feel. I didn’t want him overextending. He came out just to see the course, putt on the green, do some yardage measurements – and now he’s going to state.”

Free State also used Daniel Selk’s 90 and Austin Wright’s 93 to complete its team score of 350.

Lawrence High junior Nick Hanna had the best round of the day for the Lions with a 93. He said his driving and iron play were effective, but he struggled with putting, which is usually the strongest part of his game.

“The slope reading on this course is 150 and plays tough, especially with the high wind,” Hanna said. “Putting was tough with the undulation of the greens.”

Lawrence coach Dirk Wedd said he hoped the Lions could have qualified someone individually.

“I was hoping someone would sneak an 85 in there,” Wedd said. “It was one of those days to where if you kept it in play and kept from putting up double and triple bogeys, you had a chance.”

Jon Cohen shot 94, Cameron Hartford shot 95 and Mark Mercer shot 102 to round out the Lions’ team total of 384.