Nearly perfect finish for Lakes' Horan
In golf, there is virtually no such thing as a perfect round. There are always holes or shots you want back.
When Lakes junior Abbie Horan reflects on her fourth-place finish at the IHSA state golf tournament last weekend at Stone Creek Golf Course in Makanda, she would take a few mulligans.
The bottom line, though, was that Horan took a tremendous step forward.
Horan did not play her best golf in the regional or sectional tournaments, but she remained confident in her game.
"I knew that it was there," she said. "I knew that I would come through eventually, and I did it at the right time."
Horan proceeded to card rounds of 73 and 75 (148) to finish 2 shots out of a playoff between Conant's Kris Yoo and Deerfield's Jamie Lavin. A par on the first playoff hole gave Yoo the state title.
The key to Horan's two-round total was overcoming a couple of blowup holes in the second round. She began Saturday's play just 1 stroke back, after playing the final 11 holes of the first round in 2-under-par.
Horan's second round started on the par-5 10th hole, since the ninth hole is right next to the clubhouse and can better accommodate galleries. After two solid shots, Horan's approach shot found the water near the green.
"I had a downhill lie and I decelerated a little," said Horan, who ended up with a triple bogey 8.
Instead of panicking, Horan showed her mental toughness and tournament experience by playing the next eight holes in 3-under-par. She made four pars and three birdies at Nos. 14, 16, 17. On all three of those holes, Horan hit her approach shots within 5 feet.
"It was a good time to be on," she said with a smile. "I went for every pin."
Horan played her second nine in 3-over-par. Once again, she struggled with a par-5, making a 7 at the fourth hole.
Horan's fourth-place finish was best for any Lakes athlete in the short history of the school.
"I went in there trying to get top 10, but I definitely surprised myself," she said.
Horan wasn't the only area golfer in the Daily Herald coverage area to place in the top 25. Stevenson's Angelina Kim (156) finished in a three-way tie for 16th and teammate Kaitlin Garske (159) was in a four-way tie for 24th.
Kim's lowest round of the season, a 75, came in the final round.
"It was a great way to finish my senior year," Kim said.
Watson not satisfied: Carmel junior Jack Watson was not satisfied with matching rounds of 77 and a two-way tie for 33rd at the ISHA Class 3A state boys tournament.
"It was a tough two days for me," he said.
Watson will use this experience as motivation over the winter.
"It left a sour taste in my mouth," he said. "It showed me what I have to work on to get better."