Troy advances with second-place effort at golf regional
Athens’ Yang makes cut as individual
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
NORTHVILLE — Two state-ranked teams and one state-ranked team made the cut for the state finals out of Thursday’s Division 1 regional at Tanglewood Golf Course.
Second-ranked Grosse Pointe South had four of the top five finishers and five in the top 15 to post a 318 team score to win going away. Sixth-ranked Troy was second at 337 and unranked Livonia Churchill claimed third at 363.
The Chargers tied Walled Lake Central at 363 but Churchill advanced on the fifth golfer tie-breaker. Churchill picked up a 113 from Claire Rose and 11th-ranked Walled Lake Central opted not to play a fifth golfer, which proved to be costly.
The top three teams, plus the top three individuals not on qualifying teams, advance to the Lower Peninsula Division 1 state finals Oct.14-15 at the Meadows Golf Course at Grand Valley State University.
Grosse Pointe South’s Claire Boyle shot a six-over round of 78 to earn medalist honors, leading the Blue Devils’ fine day, as the 318 was the lowest D-1 regional score state-wide. Top-ranked Rochester Stoney Creek shot 319 in winning its own regional.
Tenley Shield was second at 79; Ella Pendy tied for third with an 80 and Lily Pendy was fifth with an 81, as the Grosse Pointe South displayed great balance.
WATCHING CLOSELY: Troy's Kelly Feng gives some body language as her ball soars towards the cup. Feng finished third overall and her team second at Thursday's Division 1 regional at Tanglewood Golf Course. File Photo
Troy’s Kelly Feng carded an 80 to tie for third, while Christine Dolikian (83), Daphne Chang (84) and Amanda McCafferty (90) aided the Colts’ cause. It marks the third straight season that Troy has qualified for state.
Churchill squeaked through based on scores from Jackie Burdette (84), Jordyn Shepler (86), Nicole Kruse (94) and Maggie McGowan (99), plus Rose’s tie-breaker.
Novi claimed fifth in the team standings with a 368, only five strokes off the pace. Northville, ranked 12th, was sixth at 375, while Dearborn (389), North Farmington-Harrison Unified (393), Livonia Stevenson, (402), Troy Athens (416), Royal Oak (437), West Bloomfield (449) and Livonia Franklin (473) rounded out the team scores.
While there was drama for the third team spot, there was also drama for the three individual qualifying spaces.
Northville’s Camilla Zhao shot 82 to gain the first spot, while four golfers shot 83 to tie for seventh overall — and three were on non-qualifying teams.
Jennifer Yang of Athens and Sophie Kollin of North Farmington-Harrison Unified both advanced on a playoff hole, while Kathleen Kennedy of Walled Lake Central, who also shot 83, did not advance. Troy’s Christine Dolikian carded an 83 but made the cut as part of a team qualifier.
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