Experience helps Hampshire's Taylor Ellett to title

Hampshire girls golf coach Sue Ellett said Elgin Country Club is a course where experience can be really helpful.

Taylor Ellett took advantage of playing in the Elgin Country Club Invitational for the third time Monday, shooting a 3-over 36 to earn medalist honors by 2 strokes over her sister Connie to win the event for the second time.

"It's nice to play a course you know. You have a little bit more of an advantage, especially out here with the greens being so tough," Taylor Ellett said. "I thought it definitely helped me to play here for the third year in a row."

Her 36 combined with Connie Ellett's 38, Jessie VanDorin's 43 (a career best) and Grace Jakubowski's 48 for a winning team score of 165, the lowest score for the Whip-Purs in the four years they have come to the event. Barrington was second with a 173. St. Charles North was third (175).

Taylor Ellett, a senior, birdied the par-3, 166-yard 6th hole. She also credited a sand save for par on the final hole, a 122-yard par 3, for her good round.

"I worked on some stuff over the weekend, a lot more with my mental game too," Taylor Ellett said. "I've been getting down on myself a little too much this year. I was trying to prevent that today. I played really calm. I didn't get frazzled."

St. Charles North's Ariana Furrie finished third individually with a 39. Geneva's Abby Luchtenburg and South Elgin's Sam Coyne each shot a 41.

"I played pretty good. My putting still needs a little work," Furrie said. "I could have come in stronger."

Casey Hahn's 42 led Barrington, which also used scores from Laura Palarz (43), Kelly Muskat (44) and Sammy Carman (44).

KK Barr shot a 43, Jessica Grill a 46 and Jordyn McFarlane a 47 for the North Stars.

The Bartlett/South Elgin/Streamwood co-op finished fourth with a 185. Burlington Central (fifth, 192) was led by Katie Cappas (43) and Kayla Wolf (44).