Girls golf: Nay beats Beaudreau in playoff

There was a time two-plus decades ago when breaking triple digits was virtually a guaranteed way to qualify for the girls state golf tournament.

"Those days are long gone," veteran Naperville Central coach Jane Thompson said. "Last year at our sectional you had to shoot 77 to get out (individually)."

Two-time defending Class AA champion Hinsdale Central headlined a storied field Saturday at the Naperville North Rosie Invitational at the same venue as the Neuqua Valley sectional last fall.

Seven girls were in the red at the par-72 Bolingbrook layout to illuminate the evolution of the sport as Naperville North junior Lauren Nay drained a 10-foot putt for birdie on the third hole of her sudden-death playoff with Benet sophomore Lauren Beaudreau to win medalist honors.

Nay and Beaudreau finished regulation with 3-under-par 69s.

Hinsdale Central had five players shoot 77 or better to win the team title with a collective 4-over 292.

Benet nipped DuPage Valley Conference powers Wheaton Warrenville South and host Naperville North for runner-up as the three schools turned in team scores of 303, 305 and 306.

St. Charles East (314) reversed its Upstate Eight Conference dual-match results against St. Charles North by 6 shots to earn fourth.

"Minus Barrington and maybe one of the Lincoln-Ways, it was a preview of the state tournament," Thompson said of the once-unfathomable team scores among the 16 suburban programs. "It's just a testament to how hard the girls have worked."

It was a groundbreaking round for the individual champion Nay.

"I (had the same score) over the summer but never in a high school tournament," Nay said. "My key was definitely putting. I finished on the back with 11 putts."

Nay felt blessed to win such a star-studded tournament.

"Not in this competitive of a field," the junior said of a previous tournament title. "That's an accomplishment for me."

Beaudreau is arguably the best underclassman in the state.

The Redwings' sophomore was fourth in state last fall after defeating then two-time Neuqua Valley state champion Jessica Yuen in a playoff for the sectional title.

"They were actually very different rounds, even though they were the same score," Beaudreau said of returning to Naperbrook. "This (69) was really stress-free. I didn't have any nerve-wracking putts for par. I was just kind of on cruise control."

Hinsdale Central state stalwarts Jessica Lee and Selina Zeng had respective rounds of 70 and 71 to finish third and seventh.

"I knew from last year that the (team) scores were lower than most invites," Lee said. "We had the sectional here, and I knew the cutoff for state was pretty low. I knew I had to have a solid round, under par."

Benet senior Abby Bitto won a four-player scorecard playoff to finish fourth overall with her 1-under total.

"Today was actually my first time to be under par in a tournament for 18 holes," Bitto said. "It was an amazing day. I hit 3 bad shots; that's not a lot when you shoot a 71."

Annalee Dannegger fired a 75 to lead WW South - and could not even garner a top-10 medal.

"Realistically, we would have finished fourth if St. Charles North had been there in full force," WW South coach Art Tang said.

The North Stars were missing their three top players from a year ago - Megan Furtney (family vacation), Kate Lillie (illness) and Gi Furrie (injury) - but sophomores Emma Hayes and Sarah Arnold had rounds to remember.

"Sarah and I both said that we had to do something special today," Hayes said.

Hayes and Arnold toured Naperbrook in a combined 1-under par with their rounds of 71 and 72.

"That was my best-ever tournament (score)," Hayes said after finishing fifth overall. "My driver was working really well today. My irons were pretty good. I was hitting it to the pin pretty close. I just kept it together, and my coach (Irish Whalen) was helping me today."

Arnold had her putting touch return after ruling the greens on Thursday in the North Stars' 12-shot victory over previously undefeated league rival St. Charles East.

"I played really well, but I had a few shots that could have been better," Arnold said. "My putting was pretty good; I had 29 putts. On hole No. 10, I put my second shot about a foot from the pin."

It was one of 4 birdies Arnold crafted to cancel an equal number of bogeys.

But Rose Bundy and her St. Charles East teammates got the better of their city and conference rivals.

The two schools have nine combined returning state qualifiers from a year ago, but the Saints were more consistent in their fourth-place showing.

Bundy was sixth overall as one of four players to shoot a 71.

Grace Westerhoff, Nicole Jordan and Kacie Gaffney rounded out the Saints' contributors.

"I didn't start off too well," Bundy said. "I just kind of kept going and (remained) positive. I shot 2-over par last year (at the same tournament) and finished tied for third. (The individual scores were) such a big difference (from last year). It's remarkable."

Batavia was seventh at 344 behind the 83 and 84 fashioned by Cassie Norville and Chess Hoffman.