Wheaton Warrenville South pull off save

Nick Novosad was a scrambling fool for the Wheaton Warrenville South boys golf team Thursday afternoon.

The Tigers' second-rated player had three consecutive par saves off brilliant pitches and later added another superb extrication from the rough on the par-5 eighth hole for his second birdie of the day en route to a medalist-earning round.

With his 1-over-par 37 in Wheaton, Novosad led WW South to a convincing 164-178 dual-meet victory over Glenbard North.

The Tigers nipped Glenbard North for the DuPage Valley Conference championship last year, but it was all WW South at Arrowhead Golf Club, which improved to 3-2 overall and 3-0 in the league.

Glenbard North fell to 4-3, 1-3.

"The wedges were really on," said Novosad, who steadied his rounds at the fourth, fifth and sixth holes with deft pitches to within glorified tap-in range. "I was able to put in some key putts. I just kind of played to beat my opponent."

"Nick is a scrambler," said WW South coach Jimmy Selleck. "He plays with a lot of heart and is very talented. He had a great round."

Steve Skurla, the Tigers' ace who won five summer tournaments, augmented the Novosad effort with a 40 that included a shot for the ages.

Skurla started off par-birdie, only to see his once-promising round succumb to several missed shots to the right.

But the junior was in the left rough on the eighth hole, looking at 240 yards left with several trees to negotiate on the 529-yard hole.

Using a rescue club both literally and figuratively, Skurla rifled a shot that split two bunkers and missed the rarest of all golf achievements -- the albatross, or double eagle -- by inches.

The luster of the shot was somewhat diminished when he missed the downhill eagle putt of less than 3 feet, but his second birdie on a par-5 gave the Tigers a pair of anchor scores.

"(I played) mediocre, but I was still hitting the ball the pretty solid," Skurla said. "It was pretty tough out there. The wind was very difficult."

Juniors Adam Callaway and Taylor Rhoades had a 43 and 44, respectively, to conclude the Tigers' contributing scores.

Tommy Stacey led Glenbard North with a 42, and Brian Ruta, Ian Hilgers and Jeremy Fullmer backed up the junior with rounds in the mid-40s.

"Today was just not our day -- for whatever reason," said Glenbard North coach John Chamberlain.