Boys golf: Perseverance pays off for Vernon Hills' Swansen

New to golf three years ago, Russell Swansen flirted with breaking 70 at challenging White Deer Run Golf Club.

Nine holes, mind you.

"The last day of tryouts I shot maybe between a 68 and a 72," Swansen, a Vernon Hills senior, said with a laugh. "It was up there."

The score got the novice golfer cut, and he understood.

But Swansen kept grinding and on Monday, for the first time as a varsity golfer, he broke 80 at White Deer. His 79 was good for third place and was a big part of a winning effort by the host Cougars, who carded a 328 in their own Class 2A regional on a sunny day.

"Russell has had his good rounds and his bad rounds," Vernon Hills coach Shawn Healey said. "He's really worked hard at it, so it's great to see him come out here today and put up a nice number when we really needed it."

It was the ninth regional championship in a row for the Cougars, who also counted junior Luke Brann's 86 and sophomore Dylan Josephson's 87.

Runner-up Carmel Catholic (333) and St. Viator (345) also qualified for next Monday's Burlington Central sectional at Whisper Creek in Huntley.

Rohan Vasudeva's 76 on his home course earned the Vernon Hills senior medalist honors. He was 3 over at the turn, before a double bogey on the par-4 11th moved him to 5 over.

"At that point, I was like, 'I really need to get myself together' because Coach told us the teams were close together," Vasudeva said. "I needed to grind it out."

Vasudeva played the final seven holes in 1 under. He felt even better when he learned of his teammate Swansen's round.

"Russell really pulled through," Vasudeva said. "We needed that. He struggled earlier in the season, but he's really been putting it together for us."

Swansen finished birdie-par, despite Nos. 17 (par 5) and 18 (par 4) playing into the wind. He recovered on the 18th after sinking his tee shot into the water.

"It felt pretty good, especially on our home track," Swansen said of his round. "Knowing where to hit it and then actually hitting it there, it's nice."

Three year ago, who would have thought Swansen would play the kind of golf he did on Monday?

"I was a little bit discouraged (after getting cut freshman year)," said Swansen, who made the JV as a sophomore. "I'd still come to (the golf course) while the boys were there practicing. It was kind of embarrassing."

His coach couldn't be prouder of his perseverance.

"He just kept on working," Healey said. "He never quit, kept going at it. He worked over the summers, got a little better as a sophomore, came out last year and helped us as a junior, and here he is as a senior helping lead the way."

Carmel was led by Clint Bailes, who fired a 78.

"It's all right," Bailes, a junior lefty, said of his round. "I could have done better."

Bailes birdied the first hole and moved to 2 under on No. 5. After bogeying No. 7, he birdied the eighth.

But he double-bogeyed Nos. 9 and 10.

"I don't know if I tired out, but I just fell apart on the back nine," said Bailes, a sectional qualifier last year.

Carmel also counted Michael Wattelet's 82, Justin McKenna's 86 and Alex Streit's 87. Bailes complimented the course conditions.

"I play out here a lot," the Lake Forest resident said. "The greens are in really good condition."

Jack Lynch paced St. Viator with an 81. Lefty Ryan O'Grady, who played in the final group with Vasudeva and Bailes, had an 85. Charlie Bullock and RJ Hart carded an 88 and a 91, respectively, for the Lions.

Grayslake Central (362, fourth) advanced Kollin Wardin (85), Cameron Mussay (91), Keegan Fitzgerald (93) and Gianni Lucchesi (93). Lakes (362, fifth) got through the trio of Chance Andell (87), Brent Fitzgerald (89) and Evan Bendall (90). Also qualifying for the sectional were Antioch freshman Donald Barnett (92), Wauconda senior Joe Hutson (93) and Grayslake North freshman Creighton Campbell (93).