Girls golf: Warren's Morrissey riding new wave of confidence
Playing well at Pebble Beach, with crashing waves from the Pacific Ocean adding ambience, will boost any golfer's confidence.
Warren junior Chloe Morrissey settled for hitting good golf shots at Shepherd's Crook on Wednesday.
"I like this course a lot," said Morrissey, the Blue Devils' No. 1 golfer since her freshman year.
The Zion Park District course, which hosted the Class 2A Antioch regional, isn't Pebble Beach. But then, what course is?
"Nothing will ever compare to Pebble at this point," Morrissey said with Cloud Nine smile. "Pebble is my No. 1 course I've ever played now. It's a dream to have played it. It's so iconic."
The honor student missed eights days of school recently after being one of about 80 kids nationwide chosen to play in the PURE Insurance Championship pro-am at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California. She even shot a 70 in the First Tee event.
"I look at golf totally different now," said Morrissey, a First Tee participant since she was 5. "Pebble boosted my confidence so much."
Morrissey, who missed the North Suburban Conference meet last week, shot an 80 at windy Shepherd's Crook. She finished second behind Lake Forest senior Isabella Martino, who fired a 7-over-par 78 to earn medalist honors. The Martino-led Scouts won the championship with a 345. Lake Forest, Libertyville (350) and Warren (353) all advanced to Monday's Huntley sectional at Blackstone Golf Club in Marengo.
Morrissey played in the final foursome and, like every player who had a later tee time, fought fierce winds that increased as the day progressed.
"Not my best," Morrissey said. "(The wind) was probably 40 miles an hour. It was crazy. Everything was flying everywhere. It would take my ball from one side of the fairway to the other."
Runner-up Libertyville, which returns to the sectional after just missing last year, was led by junior Payton DeBruler's 85. The Wildcats also counted junior Alex Scrogham's 86, senior Maggie Burnetti's 88 and senior Emma Milowski's 91.
Scrogham was the surprise, as she was Libertyville's No. 5.
"The wind was really crazy, all day," said Scrogham, who teed off at 9:09 a.m. "It really hurt our distance. I was telling my teammate that I hit what I thought was my best drive ever (on the par-5 18) and it didn't go very far."
Scrogham had never broken 90. She played consistent golf, shooting a 42 on the front and 44 on the back.
"I think my drives went well, but my irons really saved me," Scrogham said. "Those haven't been good."
Morrissey led Warren's charge, which also included sophomore Sydney Bornhorst's 88, freshman Erika Baker's 89 and senior Amanda Mietus' 96.
Lake Zurich senior Grace Loverde turns 18 on Thursday and gave herself an early present, shooting a season-best 85 to lead the Bears (362, fourth). She and sophomore teammate Bryana Hogan (86) qualified for the sectional for the first time. Loverde carded a then-best 91 in the regional at Palatine Hills last year.
"My drives were probably the best that they've been all season," Loverde said. "They were very controlled, very straight, very far. I could manipulate where to go, and my approach shots (were good)."
She had her mental game under control, too.
"I'm not adding it up as I go and getting myself psyched out," Loverde said. "It was very 'stay in the moment, this is what you have to do to get what you want.' It's something I've been working on all season."
Lake Zurich also got through freshman Kiana Pouyat (89).
Carmel sophomore Maria Stephens, who won the regional at Bittersweet last year, advanced with an 88. She fired a 38 on the front, before running into trouble. Her 50 on the back nine included 3 triple-bogeys and a pair of doubles.
"I definitely hit more fairways on the front," said Stephens, who went to sectionals with her teammates last year but missed the state cut. "The back nine, it was just all over the place. It was partially wind and partially just little shots that added up. And putting."
Carmel got through junior Maddie Kosobucki (92) as well, while Mundelein (380) advanced sophomore Maddie Wade (89) and freshmen Kellie Shanahan (89) and Maddy Forster (93).
Vernon Hills had a pair of sectional qualifiers in seniors Grace Im (86) and Jacki Park (92). Sophomore Maja Mirjanic, the Cougars' No. 2 player, did not compete due to the flu.