Girls golf: West Chicago's Farm, South Elgin's team take UEC titles

While West Chicago doesn't have enough golfers to field a girls golf team, the Wildcats do pack quite a one-two punch.

Their only two golfers, senior Kendall Farm and junior Lyndi Bressner, posted the two best scores Wednesday at the Upstate Eight Conference tournament on the Joe Jemsek Course at St. Andrews Golf and Country Club in West Chicago.

Farm won the tournament with a 76 and Bressner took second at 89 despite an off-day on the back nine. Nobody else was within 5 shots.

"It's been a lot of fun," Farm said. "It would be nice to have a team but we make it fun and we enjoy it. (Lyndi) is one of my best friends."

South Elgin won the team title at 392. Glenbard South was second at 409 and Glenbard East third with a 428.

While Farm ended up 13 shots ahead of her teammate, the two were close at the turn. Farm birdied the par 3 7th for a 37 on the front while Bressner shot a 39.

Farm pulled away on the back. She spun a wedge back to tap-in range on the par 5 14th for birdie. She gave herself looks at birdie on the final four holes but didn't cash any in - shaking off a four-putt for double on the 18th.

"Just a little frustrated," Farm said. "It was a good round, just bad putting on the last hole. Bad putting all the way around. I misread a couple. My speed was a little off today. We will figure it out before regionals next week."

Farm did a much better job handling the windy conditions than the field. Playing into the wind turned the par 5 8th, normally reachable in two for her, into a bogey; when Farm got the wind at her back she nearly drove the 330-yard 17th.

"I've never been able to get driver that close," Farm said. "I thought I hit the ball really good. I hit a lot of greens today so a lot of positives coming out of this."

Senior Gabrielle Garza led team champ South Elgin, a co-op that included one player from Bartlett and another from Streamwood in its top eight, with a 94.

"The wind definitely played a big role in how I played today because I was not happy with the outcome," Garza said. "Overall our team did good and that's all that matters."

Freshman Sheridan York (98), senior Meghan Nelson (100) and freshman Cheyenne Ward (100) made up the Storm's top four.

"Very happy," South Elgin coach Amy Silverman said. "It wasn't the prettiest for us at all but it was good enough. Sheridan really stepped up today. That was a big score for us. She was in a good zone today and came through."

Freshman Christina Stewart paced Glenbard South with a 99 and senior Riley Lyons topped Glenbard East with a 101.