Talbot leads Barrington downstate
Barrington coach Mike Kallenbach wasn’t surprised at all by the oustanding round of golf carded by senior J.P. Talbot at Friday’s opening day of the Class 3A state finals.
“J.P. has been very solid all year for us,” said Kallenbach, “but the last month he’s really turned it up. Ever since the Ivanhoe Classic he’s been playing great.”
Talbot’s 1-over 73 at the Den at Fox Creek Golf Course in Bloomington left him in second place individually, just 2 shots behind leader Joe Willis of Lake Forest.
The senior recorded four birds, three of them on par 5s.
“I started with a birdie on my first hole (the par 5 10th),” said Talbot, “and when you do that, it gives you a shot of confidence the rest of the way.”
Talbot’s extraordinary score could have been even better save for a triple-bogey on Fox Creek’s No. 6, notoriously the most difficult hole on the 6,926 yard, Arnold Palmer-designed links.
“I caught a bad break,” said Talbot, “but that hole eats everybody up.”
“The wind was howling from left to right and I tried to play the wind, but it didn’t take my ball like I thought it would.”
Saint Viator’s Luke DeTrempe held the tourney lead after 9 holes after carding a 1-under par 35. The junior finished the day with a 76 to tie for 13th position overall.
Maine West junior Tom Kukec, the Warrior’s first state representative since 1992, was solid with an 81, putting him in a tie for 41st place.
Defending state champion Lake Forest leads the team race with a total of 303, 7 strokes ahead of Lyons and 10 better than Naperville North.
The Barrington team score of 320 left them in 7th position, but still within striking distance of taking home some hardware.
Broncos seniors Mike Stathakis and Taylor Ganzer fired rounds of 82; junior Greg Conrad’s 83 included two birdies; while senior Jack Bogaerts was solid with an 84.
Bogaerts, who played his way into a starting role at the state meet, said better things are ahead for his team in day two of the meet.
“We had kind of a rough day today, but the windy conditions didn’t fit well with our ball flight. If the conditions are right (on Saturday) I think we’re going to make a charge.”