If Jay Woodward fails to shake hands with fellow competitors next week, don't hold it against him.
A nagging right wrist injury has limited what the former Bridgeport and Penn State golfer is able to do with his hand.
But at least for one day, it didn't hinder his play.
Injuries have made for a trying time for Woodward since he turned pro, but he was locked in Friday, carding a 1-under-par 70 to put himself in a four-way tie for the lowest round at Edgewood Country Club in the final qualifier for next week's West Virginia Open at Berry Hills Country Club.
Woodward, Steve Thacker, Jeff McGraw and Sheng Steven Han posted matching 70s to lead 24 qualifying players who all finished at 76 or better.
Friday marked the first competitive golf Woodward had played since Dec. 12, and he's far from out of the woods with his current ailment with an MRI and another possible surgery on the horizon.
"I just can't get healthy," Woodward said. "I had surgery on my hand in January and I have another MRI on Sunday. Before that I hurt my left shoulder, so I really haven't been playing, just helping my dad out and playing when I can. I turned pro, went to Hilton Head in the fall/winter and was playing and practicing, doing it right, then I played in three events and had to get wrist surgery. I feel like I haven't even played in two and a half years."
Woodward, along with his brother Woody, who plays at Wake Forest, certainly made his mark as a young golfer in the state, scoring a win in the West Virginia Junior Amateur in 2006 and in an International Junior Golf Tour event at The Greenbrier in 2007.
He still has aspirations of playing professionally, but for now, Woodward takes Friday and a possible good showing next week as a big step in the right direction.
"Anytime I can play around home, it's great," Woodward said. "To be quite honest, I'm happy I finished 18 and it'll be great if I can play 54 next week - it's just baby steps. My game is in decent shape, you've just got to get reps."
Woodward's was just one of several low rounds as wet and soft conditions allowed for scores to go low for such an event at a tough course.
"I try not to put a number in my mind but I thought 77 or 78 would be OK," said Aaron Persily, who carded a 2-over 73 in earning a spot. "I'm glad I didn't have to worry about it down the stretch. I'd be very disappointed if I'd had 77 and didn't get in today because I think that's a pretty good round."
McGraw sat on the lead until a late wave of players brought in the other three with 70s.
He was a second-team All-West Virginia Conference selection at Concord in 2013 and played at Princeton, but was making his first attempt at qualifying for the West Virginia Open on Friday.
McGraw lives in Lewisburg and works as a caddie at The Greenbrier. He plays competitively when possible, including a 17th-place showing in the West Virginia Amateur earlier this year.
"I think I hit 16 out of 18 greens today," McGraw said. "It was one of those steady, boring rounds of golf. I didn't really hit any great shots but I didn't hit any bad shots. Just kind of steady around, made a couple of pars - I was 3 under on the back nine, which is the tougher nine."
Ten of the 24 qualifiers are from the Kanawha Valley, including Persily, who played at Charleston Catholic and is currently playing at Hampden-Sydney in Virginia.
That list also includes David Scragg, a rising senior at Poca High School who claimed he needed a "rally cap" as he made the turn. He finished with a 1-over 72 and a ticket to his first West Virginia Open.
"I didn't really play bad, but coming into today I've been playing some of the worst golf I've played in my whole life," Scragg said. "I'm going through some swing changes, but I ended up fixing it on the third hole. I was 2 over on the back nine, which was my front, and I put on the rally cap and shot 1 under on the back."
Other qualifiers were Carl Roncaglione, John Auville, Richard Moore, Doug Wallace, Tyler Cardenas, Pete Kurelac III, Cam Roam, Cole Hand, Pat Parker, Aaron Boggs, Larry Hodges II, Kyle Wensel, James Snavely, Sam Roncaglione, Andrew Skeens, Jeremy Vallet, Chris Barlament and Patrick McClintic.
Reach Ryan Pritt at 304-348-7948, ryan.pritt@wvgazette.com or follow him @RPritt on Twitter.