As tournament play tees off, we’ve got the rundown on seven area stars to watch heading into their respective region and state tournaments come May.

Remi Rawlings (Weber): Rawlings and Weber’s returning cast of seniors are undoubtedly setting their sights higher following last spring’s third-place team finish at the 6A state championship. Rawlings, signing with Westminster University in January, sits atop that list of returning talent eyeing lofty ends to the prep careers.

Last spring, Rawlings led the Warriors with a season-low score of 67 (4-under) carded at Lakeside in Bountiful. Rawlings later tied Corner Canyon’s Alyssa Meadows for fifth individually at the state championship, and later won the Valley View PGA Junior Major at Soldier Hollow in Midway in July.

Jane Poll, Kenadee Benson (Morgan): Poll led a third-place Morgan team at the 3A state championship last spring, tying for fourth individually with Richfield’s Abbee Albrecht.

As a junior, Poll’s 83.1 gross average would only be contested once by returning senior teammate Kenadee Benson (89.5) at Dinaland in Vernal.

Benson went on to tie North Sanpete’s Jessica Applegarth for 11th at the state championship.

Poll and Benson are each playing for their third consecutive state ticket this spring.

Susan Tiffner (Fremont): Tiffner sits at the front of Fremont’s stacked returning senior corps, returning a 78.0 gross average from her junior campaign. Tiffner joined 2024 graduate Madalyn Hadley (7th individually) in the top-10 tying Lone Peak’s Mikaila Lieu for 10th individually.

Fremont closed 2024 as the state’s second-best program, with three returning seniors shooting inside 90 to begin the spring.

Whitni Johnson (Bonneville): Johnson, climbing the Region 5 ladder as a sophomore, is searching for the region crown and more in Year 3 as the Lakers’ leading returner.

A two-time state qualifier, Johnson’s posted two top-10 individual 5A state finishes: tied for sixth in 2023 and breaking into the top-5 tied for fourth last spring. Johnson’s season-low 69 (2-under) shot at Sun Hills in Layton led the Lakers last season.

Bonneville, placing fifth in the state as a team last spring, is chasing a second consecutive region championship after delivering the banner in 2024.

Tylee Bennett (Bear River): Bennett’s 83.9 gross average went essentially unchallenged by her teammates last spring, and it’s safe to say the three-time state qualifier will be back at the big dance in May.

Bennett led Bear River at the 4A state tournament last season, joining the top-10 tying with Stansburg’s Randee Trmondsen for 10th individually. Bennett’s 2024 season-low score of 80 (9-over) came during an interstate trip to Preston, Idaho.

Presley Hester (Ben Lomond): A three-time state qualifier, Hester returns as the top Scot to watch this spring following her top-20 individual finish at the 3A state championship in 2024. Hester’s team-low 92.0 gross average made her BL’s outright top golfer on the varsity card.

Connect with sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.