Schaumburg's Meschnig ready for state

Scott Meschnig took a walking tour of his future at this time one year ago.

Meschnig didn't qualify for the Class 3A boys state golf tournament as a Schaumburg junior after shooting an 86 in the sectional. That didn't stop him from making a trip to The Den at Fox Creek Golf Course in Bloomington.

Watching top-level golfers such as St. Viator's Danny Stringfellow was an eye-opener.

“I can't even explain the atmosphere of the state tournament and going down there with my dad (Dennis), Meschnig said. “Just being down there at that time of year, there is a lot of spotlight on just a few golfers.

“It was a huge incentive.

A year later, Meschnig hopes to be one of the spotlighted golfers. Meschnig is making his first state tourney appearance and is playing a competitive round at The Den for the first time.

And he looks ready to compete with the best in the state. He fired a personal-best 71 for 18 holes to finish third in Monday's Naperville Central sectional at Naperbrook Golf Course.

Meschnig became the first Schaumburg golfer to qualify for state since it went as a team in 2005.

“My putting the last couple of weeks has just been on, said Meschnig, who had 4 birdies Monday. “I've definitely been hitting the ball well and really focusing on my swing and it's come together.

Especially in a season Meschnig described as “all over as he made some changes to his swing. He shot 90 in his first 18-hole round at Rolling Green in Arlington Heights but came back the next day with a 79 at Illinois State University.

Meschnig said the last few weeks he went back to the fundamentals he had worked on with swing coach Connie DeMattia, the director of instruction at Cantigny Golf Course in Wheaton.

“The last week or so I managed to find my swing, Meschnig said. “Hopefully it stays with me and stays pretty consistent.

Meschnig shot 78 in the regional but was only 1-over-par through 12 holes. Poor putting resulted in a higher score but he said “that was easily fixed.

And Meschnig has done a lot the last three years to refine a game that has been a big part of his family. His dad has played for most of his life and his brother Marc played for Schaumburg two years ago.

Scott Meschnig really started to get tournament tested before his sophomore year at Schaumburg when he started playing more junior golf tournaments in the summer.

“I haven't necessarily taken it as seriously as I am now, Meschnig said.

Meschnig wants to keep playing in college and hopes a solid performance this weekend could spark some interest after an up-and-down season. He plans to study accounting and has a 3.2 grade point average on a 4.0 scale and scored 24 on the ACT.

And Meschnig figures a pair of rounds in the 75-76 range could account for a finish in the top 15. A little lower and he might have a shot at becoming Schaumburg's first top-10 medalist in boys golf.

“That would be more than I could ask for considering some of the scores I shot this year, Meschnig said.

But the best part for Meschnig is he's playing and not just walking the course at The Den this year.

mmaciaszek@dailyherald.com