Playing within herself, Butler wins Illinois State Women’s Amateur

The key to Bridget Butler’s success is applicable not only to golf but to all sports.

“Just focusing on my shot in front of me,” she said.

That, and a few well-timed birdies, earned the 2024 Barrington High School graduate the title of the 92nd Illinois State Women’s Amateur Championship at The Grove Country Club in Long Grove, June 16-18.

Butler rallied from a 2-stroke deficit after two rounds of play and overcame a third-round double-bogey to finish at 4-under par, 3 strokes ahead of both the University of Southern Illinois’ Kayla Sayyalinh and incoming University of Illinois freshman Alexis Myers, who helped Glenbrook North win the Class 2A title each of the last two seasons.

Butler needed that focus.

“It’s kind of hard with the three of us playing all in same group because you can see what they’re doing,” Butler said. “You can kind of tell where each of us stands at each hole, but to me the key was playing my own game.”

On June 18 she carded birdies on the first two holes while Sayyalinh bogeyed each. Butler double-bogeyed No. 7 and was tied for the lead after 12 holes, then shot 2-under the rest of the way with birdies at Nos. 15 and 16.

“Bridget's tremendous driving distance does set her apart from her competition, but it was her clutch putting that sealed the deal for her down the stretch at the Illinois State Woman's Amateur,” said Barrington coach Tim Martin.

He had a rooting interest. Along with Butler, the Fillies were represented by incoming junior Reese Wallace, who tied for ninth; Caroline Smith (Indiana, seventh); and Mara Janess (Michigan, 21st).

Aided by caddie Jack Proeschel from her home course, Biltmore Country Club in Barrington, Butler also nailed her approaches in that last round, reaching the green on 16 of 18 holes. She opened the tournament with a 3-under 69.

A National Honor Society high school student who helped Barrington win the 2021 Class 2A title, Butler redshirted last year at Nebraska. She earned a 4.0 grade-point average and was named to the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team for volunteerism.

Not a competitive golfer until the summer before high school, Butler since transferred to Stetson University, drawn by the Florida weather.

Winning the Illinois Women’s Amateur earned Butler an exemption into the U.S. Women’s Amateur, Aug. 4-10 in Bandon, Oregon. She’s also applied to the Women’s Western Amateur, July 14-19 in Royal Oak, Michigan.

“I’m definitely going to be a little nervous going into it. It’s one of the highest stages you can play at as an amateur, and it’s an amazing course,” Butler said of the U.S. Amateur at Bandon Dunes.

“I think I just need to go into the national tournament the same way I went into this one — going in with no expectations, just trying to have fun.”

The writers were right

University of Arizona right-handed pitcher Tony Pluta, a St. Viator graduate from Palatine who wrapped up his junior season June 15 in the Men’s College World Series, began the season on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association “Stopper of the Year” preseason watch list.

That’s where he finished it — as the NCBWA Stopper of the Year.

Pluta went 3-0 with a 1.49 ERA and 14 saves in 30 appearances. Striking out 34 batters in 37 innings pitched, he allowed 28 hits and seven bases on balls for a nifty 0.95 WHIP (walks plus hits over innings pitched).

A Big 12 scholar-athlete of the year, Pluta made first-team All-American by both the NCBWA and the American Baseball Coaches Association. He was a second-team selection by Baseball America and Perfect Game.

Doing us proud

On May 29 we wrote about Willowbrook girls flag football coaches Rachel Karos and Nick Hildreth being invited to coach at USA Football’s National Team Development Program Select Bowl in Los Angeles.

They were out there June 18-21. Proving their mettle, both led their teams to age bracket titles.

Hildreth coached a team of girls 12 and under, mainly Californians and a couple girls from Hawaii, won their bracket.

Karos’ “Grey” U14 girls, a squad from Eastern Seaboard players and one from Colorado, also won their bracket.

There were several local players there: Alina Bauer and Bennett Bauer of Wheaton, Turner Cade of Barrington, Gavin DiBella of Park Ridge, and Aribella Spandiary of Park Ridge.

Spandiary, an 18U Girls Select Team player from Maine South, was a first-team all-state selection last fall, the first all-state flag football team since the Illinois High School Association sanctioned the sport.

doberhelman@dailyherald.com