Girls golf: Benet's Beaudreau the class of the state field

FORSYTH, Ill. - A playoff was beckoning between Lauren Beaudreau and yet another potential Lincoln-Way Central antagonist.

But Beaudreau, the Notre Dame-bound senior for Benet, had the up-and-down of recent memory.

Beaudreau - with her 5-shot lead during the second round of the Class 2A girls golf tournament withered to a single shot over Bri Bolden - converted a diabolical 3-footer off a 20-yard bunker shot to save par on the final hole at Hickory Point.

"I had to play (the ball) outside the hole," Beaudreau said of her putt for a two-day championship total of 4-under-par 140. "It was dead center."

Beaudreau, returning for her final year of high school competition after playing a national schedule last fall, avoided the playoff with the Illinois-bound Bolden, who fired a 5-under 67.

"To get it up-and-down from there is nerves of steel," Benet coach Mike Bremner said.

Two years ago, the Knights' Grace Curran, headed for Missouri, denied Beaudreau by a single shot for the individual state championship.

"This is one of my biggest accomplishments," Beaudreau said. "I really wanted to win an individual state championship. To do it in such a dramatic way was exciting."

Beaudreau seized command of the tournament during a five-hole stretch Friday afternoon under deplorable conditions.

"She shot 5 under in the snow," said Naperville North senior leader Mara Flaherty of Beaudreau.

But the Redwings' star overcame the inhospitable elements with 4 birdies on her inward nine on Friday.

"It was as good a run as you're going to see," Bremner said.

"I was just shooting lasers with my approach shots," Beaudreau added.

Beaudreau was seemingly in command Saturday afternoon with back-to-back birdies to start her final nine.

But a double-bogey on the treacherous par-5 15th brought Bolden into the conversation.

"I hit a ball in the water," Beaudreau said of her one major misstep.

But Beaudreau composed herself to complete her central task.

"(Beaudreau) showed what you have to do to win a state championship," said St. Charles North senior Megan Furtney, third overall at 1-under 143 to lead the North Stars to the team title over Barrington.

Flaherty, Hannah Martin and Emma Lin were the leaders for Naperville North, which finished seventh with composite scores of 325 and 321.

"Most of the best girls from the top teams of 2019 are going to be graduating," the Bradley-bound Flaherty said. "We're going to be really strong next year. I just wish I were going to be there to play."

Flaherty was top 15 after rounds of 78-75.

St. Francis' first foray at the Class 1A tournament at Red Tail Run in Decatur resulted in a seventh-place finish.

Katherine Lemke was the Spartans' standout with her 12th-place finish.

"We couldn't be happier," St. Francis coach Gay Crain said. "We managed to make the cut the first day."