They don't count for much. It's those last two rounds that count. At district, you go head to head with all the best. For dual meets, there's not that kind of pressure. When you get to state, it's even more pressure.
Coaches hope to have their top six players peaking by the time of the qualifying tournaments.
Port Angeles' longtime coach Mark Mitrovich said the top players usually wind up on top. So basically, the prep golfers have two seasons. They play to win a team championship, and then they play to see where they stand individually. If you can get two players to state, you're eligible for a team championship. Mitrovich said the current format is probably the best way to decide who goes to state.