It’s a picture-perfect day to hit the links at Orchard Valley Golf Course, the host site of the West Aurora Regional. Metea Valley is the lone DVC squad in action. Stiff competition shares the fairways with the Mustangs as the St. Charles North North Stars, the 16th-ranked team in Illinois, and the Geneva Vikings, who finished 5th last year at state, also are battling for a berth in the sectional round. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
A flurry of pars start the day
At hole number one, St. Charles East’s Ashton Glisson stares down a hefty birdie look. The line is perfect, but the pace is one revolution off as the ball stops right before the cup. Glisson grabs a par.
Another near birdie on the first. Mustang Kaiden Shah’s putt has the speed but doesn’t break quite enough into the hole. A par for the junior on his way to an 83 and an individual spot in sectionals.
Freshman Luke Donaldson of Saint Charles East qualifies himself for sectionals with an 85. He scores a par at one as part of his effort.
Glisson showed off the putter; now he dazzles with his wedge near the flagstick on the fourth. His bunker shot finds traction on the slippery green, coming to a stop near the pin. The senior completes the up-and-down, securing a par. He finishes tied for fifth overall with a two-over 74.
Staying at four, Fighting Saint Aarnav Patel softly lands his fairway chip near the flag. He capitalizes with an even five as he moveson too sectionals thanks to an 80 swing day.
West Aurora’s Cameron Smith closes out action at the hole by saving par. Smith is the last qualifying individual as his 85 is good enough to advance by one stroke.
Evan Loo of Metea comes a few inches away from putting in a birdie with style. Instead, he trickles in a par. Loo shoots an 83 as well, joining Shah in sectionals.
Geneva takes regionals
On the final hole, South Elgin Storm’s Zachary Cahill sprays his second shot onto the green. The senior three-putts from there, leading to a bogey. His final swing proves pivotal as he clinches a third-place finish for South Elgin and the final team spot in sectionals over St. Charles East by one stroke. Cahill ends tied for third individually.
At the end of 18, an individual winner has yet to be crowned, with two scores notched at 72. A playoff hole is needed to determine the regional champ. Junior Caden Shanahan of St. Charles North and Senior Will Quisling of Geneva take a walk back to the eighteenth one last time.
Shanahan is with the trees after his tee shot. What looks like a bleak chance at salvaging the hole, the North Star turns in one of the best shots of the day. He draws a stinger that rolls onto the green!
Pressure mounts on the wet shoulders of Quisling. The senior shows his maturity as he calmly sets his approach on the heart of the dance floor.
Shanahan leaves the door open for Quisling with his next shot losing steam well in front of the hole.
Just like postseason baseball, Quisling is the one who hits the walkoff! He drains the birdie putt and reigns as the West Aurora regional individual champion! On top of the solo victory, Geneva takes home the team championship as well, winning by 12 strokes.
St. Charles North, like Shanahan, finishes second as a squad. The Metea Valley Mustangs finish seventh.
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