Jacobs dethrones Huntley as FVC champ
He’s only been playing golf for four years. And it’s not like he was under the supervision of a golf coach at the time.
“I started playing with friends,’’ said Jacobs’ Justin Lenzini.
Mind you, he’s just a sophomore.
On a rainy Thursday, Lenzini took on the challenging Golf Club of Illinois in Algonquin. And with the help of his driver, he rang up 6 birdies. Lenzini led Jacobs with a very strong 72 and the Golden Eagles shot a brilliant 299 to unseat two-time defending champion Huntley and win the Fox Valley Conference Tournament by a whopping 17 strokes.
Lenzini didn’t win medalist honors by a single stroke. That honor went to Crystal Lake Central’s Paul Schlim. No matter, Lenzini felt good about his round and didn’t mind the elements at all.
“I love playing in the rain,’’ Lenzini said. “It was the perfect temperature with a nice, little drizzle.”
One of those six birdies stood out for the sophomore. It came on the 12th hole.
“I hit a hybrid and then from five feet knocked in the birdie,’’ he said.
One hole earlier, a few extra shots might have cost him the individual title.
“I was putting for another birdie and ended up three-putting,’’ Lenzini admitted.
Jacobs coach Jeremy Bauer knows exactly what type of a golf he has in Lenzini.
“He’s on a roller coaster,’’ Bauer said. “He likes to make birdies.”
Also making 6 birdies on this day was the winner Schlim. It’s taken this player a little while to get his game where he wants it.
“I was playing well in the spring,’’ Schlim said. “But I really struggled in the summer. I changed coaches and went through a lot of changes.”
On the sixth hole, he chipped in for a birdie on this par-3.
The Golden Eagles really dominated the event. Having four players scoring in the 70s sure helped the cause. Gage Askam turned in a 75, good for third place. Teammate Jack Ramsett also shot a 75 and was placed fourth. In sixth place came Chris Boyle with his 77.
“Our guys were really up for this event,’’ Bauer said. “They did the best they could under these conditions.”
Second-place Huntley had help from Jake Grabner (5th, 77), Riley Wicks (8th, 79) and Brad Spoeth (10th, 80). The Red Raiders shot a 316. Helped by winner Schlim, Crystal Lake Central was third. Cary-Grove was fourth (329). Daniel DePrey was seventh overall with a 78. Hampshire claimed fifth place. Geoff Beck’s 82 led that team’s effort.
The two Grayslakes struggled in this meet. As North coach Tim Hough explained it, Central is still a young team while his Knights will have to say so long to five seniors and will have to reload next season. Central finished 10th (358). Connor Fitzgerald led the Rams with an 86. The Knights were 12th (371).
“We are right where we normally are,’’ Hough said. “Which is nice to see.”