On the 18th hole of the second day of the girls golf state tournament on Oct. 7, sophomore Laura Hu lined up for a 30-foot putt thinking that this stroke could determine the state championship.
“I had a bad [tee] shot because it went in the water, but I didn’t really realize that we needed only a bogey to win,” said Hu. “I thought I had to make par, so I had to drop and then go over the trees to get on the green and then two putt for a bogey.”
At the end of the first day, the team was two strokes behind Hinsdale Central. In the second round, Hinsdale increased its lead to seven strokes through the first eight holes.
“We were behind Hinsdale two shots, which was not a big deal,” said head coach Michael Schroeder. “I was gonna go and talk to the team, and before I even said anything to them, they were all saying, ‘Two shots is nothing, we got this, we’re going to do it.’ They stayed focused, none of them quit.”
The team had to make a comeback on the last nine holes, which was the hardest part of the course, Schroeder said.
“We talked all season about how the state championship would be decided on the back nine at Hickory Point [Golf Club], and all the players knew what to expect and were mentally prepared for it,” Schroeder said.
After making the team’s final tap-in putt at the state tournament, Hu was suddenly drenched from the water in her cheering teammate’s hand.
“I was a little confused because I thought we didn’t win yet, but then they started to pour water on me,” Hu said.
According to Schroeder, the team played some of the best golf he had ever seen at the state tournament.
“For them, [going] through a really competitive, close regional and sectional prepared them for playing under those pressure-filled situations at the state tournament,” Schroeder said.
The team won conference, regionals and sectionals, with sophomore Alison Chung finishing first at conference and sophomore Martha Kuwahara breaking the 18-hole school record at sectionals.
“I didn’t know I [broke] the 18-hole school record until coach told me afterwards, but on Hole 18, I was still five under, and someone told me that I could break the record if I make my eagle putt, and I made it,” said Kuwahara. “When I realized I did, it was really exciting.”
The team won the state tournament with a score of 603 strokes over 36 holes. Junior Kacie Moon shot a 148, Hu scored a 150, Kuwahara scored a 152 and junior Alexis Myers shot a 153.
The team finished the season with a 10-0 record in conference.
Hu’s favorite memory with her teammates was creating a putting game before the state tournament because the game allowed them to practice while also having fun, she said.
“Golf is an individual sport … having teammates there to support you and be there for you when you’re not playing your best is really nice,” Hu said.
The starters on this year’s team could all return next year.
The players know what to do, so Schroeder’s main focus is to provide them with opportunities to be successful, he said.
“One hundred percent of these players came in already elite players, so for me, it’s helping them buy into the aspect of winning as a team and giving them opportunities to have a great high school experience,” said Schroeder.“Part of that is winning the state championship together as a team and creating some really great memories.”