After surviving a four-girl playoff to reach the Class AA state golf finals, Lincoln-Way Central freshman Bri Bolden is alive and well heading into Saturday’s final round at Hickory Point in Decatur.
Bolden opened Friday with a 5-over-par 77, placing her 13th in the 112-player field. She sits six strokes behind the leader, Hinsdale Central’s Jessica Lee.
“This is exactly where I wanted to be,” Bolden said. “I’m going to zone in on going for the pins more. (I played) it a little safe with the wind. We didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks.”
Nerves weren’t much of an issue for Bolden after she survived the pressure-packed playoff Monday at the sectional level.
“From conference to regionals to the playoff, it’s building my confidence,” Bolden said. “I’m in a good rhythm.”
Sandburg is hoping to find a similar flow after a difficult opening day. The Eagles (336) are in sixth place, 20 strokes out of third, which would earn the Eagles a trophy.
“We’ll see how that shakes out at the end of the day,” Sandburg coach Todd Allen said. “We wanted to be top five (Friday). That was our goal. We have some work cut out for ourselves.”
Freshman Hannah Kilbane led with an 8-over 80. Emily Cosler and Emilyee McGiles each shot 82. Kilbane is 26th individually; Cosler and McGiles are tied for 36th.
“McGiles was playing really well but had a tough finish,” Allen said. “She struggled on the last three holes, but her 82 could have been a 77 with the way she was hitting the ball.”
Providence’s Alyssa Gromala (81) and Lemont’s Maggie Micetich (83) also reside in the top 40.
At the boys Class 3A state finals in Bloomington, Providence sits 10th with a 333, and Homewood-Flossmoor is 11th with a 340. Providence’s Ricky Costello and H-F’s Preston Genett carded 9-over 81s for the Southland’s best scores.
Both sit in a tie for 40th, but don’t be surprised if either climbs the leaderboard in Day 2. Costello carded a 71 in the Saturday round to rally for sixth individually last season. Genett closed out with a 75 last year, the best score for H-F.
In Class 2A, Lemont sophomore Raymond Sullivan (7-over 78) is nine strokes off the lead, held by Drew Miles of North Shore Country Day in Winnetka.
As a team, the Indians aren’t faring well. Lemont sits in 12th place, 30 strokes behind Morton (311).
Meanwhile, Chicago Christian’s Pete Vos is in contention in Class 1A after a 7-over 79 at Prairie Vista in Bloomington.
“It’s our first time down here, so I had no idea what to expect,” Vos said. “It’s a big site, so it was really cool to see all the people down here.”
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Vos, in a tie for 10th, said he might “take a few more risks” on Day 2. The Knights (338) are sixth in the team standings.
Logan Malloy is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.