Wheaton Warrenville South gets boost in DVC

In her third year playing varsity golf, Sarah Skurla was well aware of the ramifications Tuesday afternoon at Naperbrook.

"This was an important match for the DVC (girls golf championship)," the Wheaton Warrenville South top player said of the Tigers' early-season showdown against host Naperville Central.

Skurla was off her game at the Plainfield layout, opening her round in gusting conditions with a triple-bogey 7. But the Tigers have plenty in reserve, and WW South used its state-hardened lineup to turn back the Redhawks 178-187.

"I wasn't hitting the ball awful," Skurla said of her uncharacteristic 10-over-par 46, "I was just getting stuck in bad spots."

WW South, which improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the league while ending the Redhawks' five-match season-opening winning streak, had plenty of firepower behind Skurla. Emily Johnson and Mallory Glanzman used aggressive play off the tee to solidify the Tigers' play in the second twosome.

Nowhere was their go-for-broke mentality showcased more distinctly than on the par-5, 463-yard third hole, a dogleg right with a menacing water hazard fronting the slicing fairway. Both players sailed their tee shots over the hazard, and Johnson was less than 200 yards away along the left edge.

The sophomore, with the lead group still on the green, hit a career shot, reaching the green in 2.

"I contemplated waiting, but I didn't think it was going to go that far," Johnson said. "It was probably the best shot I've ever hit."

Johnson lagged the 50-foot eagle putt to within glorified tap-in range, and her birdie was the highlight of the day in which she earned medalist honors for the second straight WW South dual meet with a 42. Johnson was level par after the dramatic birdie, but back-to-back poor holes at four and five left her 5-over, only to see her rebound down the stretch, capping the lowest round with a nice par save at the last.

Glanzman, meanwhile, had the mindset of a riverboat gambler as well, taking driver on every hole but the two par-3s. The strategy paid huge dividends early as three consecutive routine pars left her 2-over heading into the sixth hole.

But Johnson had to take a drop on No. 6 with an unplayable lie, leading to a double bogey, and her pristine drive on the par-5 seventh unraveled when her hybrid second shot found another hazard.

"We didn't want to play to the safe side," said Glanzman of the Tigers' approach. "We knew (Naperville Central) has had good teams in the past and that we had to do our best."

Glanzman made par at the last for a roundabout 45, which fellow senior Amy Wood also matched to conclude the Tigers' four cards. Emma Ondik had a 46 to pace Naperville Central, which was augmented by four 47s from Alyssa Staib, Bailey Curtis, Megan Philipp and Jenny Petterec.

"The door was open," Naperville Central coach Jane Thompson said. "We had an opportunity here and we didn't take advantage of it. We have both played better as a team."