Miller leads Stevenson, Kil in command for BG

Aware that Stevenson’s Stephanie Miller was still on the golf course, Buffalo Grove’s Grace Kil was in no rush to end an interview when told she should go warm up on Lake Bluff Golf Club’s putting green in case of a potential playoff.

Kil, whose white golf lid playfully reads “Kiss My Putt” and is embroidered next to “G. Kil,” seemed confident some practice putting wouldn’t be necessary, although she eventually did go hit putts.

“I would think she’d shoot like 60 here, because it’s such a short course and she’s really good at her irons,” Kil said of Miller, a fellow junior.

A kiss of death by Miss “Kiss My Putt”?

Hardly.

Miller’s par-saving, downhill putt from 15 feet on the 18th hole gave her a career-best-tying 67 in the Class 2A Lake Forest regional on a sunny Wednesday. Her victorious 5-under round was five strokes better than runner-up Kil, who shot even par (72). Libertyville’s Camilla Ou (75) and Highland Park’s Kelli Ono and Tina Berardi (76 each) also earned medals.

Miller’s last putt proved critical, as it secured for Stevenson the last of three sectional berths. Highland Park, which also got a sub-80 round from Nicole Feierberg (78), won the regional with a 310. Buffalo Grove (336) was second. Stevenson and Libertyville each shot 351, but the Patriots advanced to Monday’s sectional at Buffalo Grove Golf Club on a fifth score.

When Stevenson faced Lake Forest in a dual at Lake Bluff two weeks ago, Miller shot an uncharacteristic 43. She had a 34 on the same front nine Wednesday.

“Last time it was 43. Today it was 34. So I just turned it around,” Miller quipped.

Miller, who fired a 33 on the back nine, carded 6 birdies, including one on the par-4 seventh, a dogleg right playing 248 yards. She drove the green, hitting her tee shot over the trees.

“I saw Nicole Feierberg setting up to putt (on the No. 7 green) and I was like, ‘Uh oh, this is going on the green,’ ” Miller said with a sheepish smile. “So I just screamed, ‘Nicole!’ She stops putting. She looks at me and she’s like, ‘Stephanie Miller, I’m going to kill you!’ ”

Kil recovered from a bogey on No. 1 and 2-over on the front to shoot a 34 on the back. She rolled in 4 birdie putts on the back nine.

“The back nine was much, much better,” Kil said. “It wasn’t a very good start. ... I just tried to keep my game on and get even par.”

Buffalo Grove also counted the rounds of Amber Guiao (80), Kelli Zickert (91) and Courtney Meyer (93).

Ou, who will be joined by her Libertyville teammate Darinka Sutic (87) in the sectional, carded 2 birdies.

“I’m happy,” said Ou, who shot triple digits in the regional last year. “Overall, everything was clicking. I was getting my long game straight, and my putts were sinking.”

Other sectional qualifiers not part of the advancing teams included Lake Forest’s Paige Skinner (81) and Allie Hubbard (89), Vernon Hills’ Lauren Groody (84), and Warren’s Gabby Cordova (87) and Erin Walker (87).

Libertyville’s tough-luck day continued when Paige Webb lost a one-hole playoff with Deerfield’s Lauren Kelsey for the final individual sectional berth.

Miller nearly rolled in her eagle putt on the par-5 17, settling for a tap-in birdie.

“Not to mention that I lipped out 3-4 other birdie putts,” said Miller, who also shot a 67 at Bonnie Dundee this season. “I should have shot 62.”