BLOOMINGTON — Columbus North girls golf coach Scott Seavers said he wants his team to play against the best competition on the hardest golf courses.
Both North and Columbus East had a chance to do that in the season-opening Bloomington South Invitational at Bloomington Country Club on Monday. The invitational included three-time defending state champion in Evansville North and three other top-five state finishers including the Bull Dogs, who were third at state last season.
A course record 11-under-par 62 by Jocelyn Bruch helped Westfield take first place with a 296. Columbus North finished second with a 312, one stroke under Evansville North.
“I’m really happy with our score,” Seavers said. ”A 312 is really good for the first tournament out on a very difficult golf course. I’m pleased overall … We played well, but we have some improvement do, also.”
Danbi Kim was the top golfer for the Bull Dogs, shooting a 72 to go under par for the first time in her three-year high school career. The senior posted the third best individual score of the invitational.
“The holes were really short,” Kim said. “The par-5s should have been par-4s, in my opinion.”
North’s Nathaly Munnicha carded a 77, and Julia Luken shot an 80. Alex Munnicha finished with an 83, and Molly Donnell had a 91.
The Olympians finished 11th out of 17 teams. East coach Troy Buntin said his team’s 387 score exceeded his expectations.
“What I saw today was a lot of inconsistencies,” Buntin said. “You’d see a good shot and a bad shot. Or a good drive, bad drive. They played like it was the first tournament and as I said at the beginning of the day, just go out and have fun. It’s all about the journey to the end of the season.”
Lily Shelp led the Olympians with a 90. Shelp said everything was decent for her expect her putting around the green. She kept leaving balls short and said she was hoping for her score to be a little better.
“I really wanted mid-80s,” Shelp said. “But everyone said this was the hardest course to play all year, and it’s the first tournament. So I’m not too disappointed.”
Other golfers for East were Morgan Harrison, who shot a 96 and Autumn Fateley with a 98. Lauren Steinwedel added a 103, and Ellie Buntin finished with a 116.
