Oswego East is the host of the boys golf regional on a rainy day at Fox Bend Golf Course. Four area teams, including two-time DVC champs Naperville North, brace the weather with a trip to sectionals on the line. With standing water on the greens, each golfer is only allowed a maximum of two putts once they reach the green. Naperville North ends the waterlogged tournament in first place, winning a regional title for the first time in nearly 15 years! This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Zach Zafar for Naperville North accepts that challenge. First, he gets his fairway shot to hit the green and just needs one putt because he connects on the birdie.
Naperville Central’s Tyler Sweda chips off the wet grass that falls in his favor as it rolls just past the cup. Sweda takes the par, golfs a 77, which is good enough for an individual sectional spot.
Arnav Nanda of Waubonsie gets out of the soggy bunker as his ball battles the green, and gets him in good putting position.
Over to hole three where the rain picks up. Huskie Henry Haumesser fights through the battlegrounds chipper style and takes the par.
Neuqua’s Connor Rodebaugh bounces back from his first shot with a strong chip from near the cart path. Unfortunately for the senior, despite shooting a 78, he misses the cut by just one stroke as teammate Matt Jacobson is the lone Wildcat moving on after recording a 74. Neuqua senior Trevor Park just missed out as well with a 79.
It’s North’s Colin Mills against the rain on hole 6, and the Huskie wins the battle with his tee shot landing on the putting green. Mills pars and shoots a 73.
Naperville Central sends three golfers to sectionals
Here’s Owen Mack from Naperville Central on the downhill chip putting him in position to par. He drains it and also qualifies for sectionals as an individual thanks to a round of 75.
The rain clears up a bit for Graeme Cavanagh attempting a long birdie. It doesn’t hit the hole, so Cavanagh pars instead as he remains near the top of the leaderboard.
Naperville North’s Lincoln Schultz chips on his second shot that stops feet away from the pin, so he also takes par.
Noah Redmond takes his turn for the host school. A chip plus a par on the next equals a 77 as all six Huskies golf in the 70s.
Waubonsie Valley looks to keep up with the leaders
Waubonsie gets cooking on the 9th hole as Aanish Kamda finds the green after a good approach.
Teammate Avi Khanduja gets out of the bunker and onto the green. Kamdar and Khanduja both shoot a 74. Fellow Warrior Quinn Hayes is right behind them with a 75 for the green and gold.
The Huskies continue to cook as Trevor Schmidt attacks the par-three 15th hole with a tee shot that lands in his favor and settles for par.
Oswego East puts on a good showing as Jack Malm sends a missile from the fairway through the rain and onto the green and takes a 73.
Cavanagh continues to have a day for Central. He sends his approach from near the cart path and onto the putting green. Cavanagh golfs a 70, which helps him to the individual regional title after a one-hole playoff over Duncan Kubek from Oswego East.
Naperville North golfs to a regional title
However, this day is all about the Huskies. Lincoln Schultz hits the green, pars, shoots the blue and orange’s lowest score of 71, which helps Naperville North take home its first boys golf regional title since 2012 after a team round of 293. Oswego East takes second with a 299 behind Kubek, Jack Malm and Jack Steele, followed by Waubonsie Valley and Naperville Central tie for third with a 300, but the Warriors snag the final sectional team spot thanks to Arnav Nanda and Finus Douglas shooting 77s as the tiebreaker.
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