In the fall of 2010, Waubonsie Valley senior golfer Thomas O’Bryan won the area’s first ever state boys golf championship. Relive this thrilling Vintage Moment, presented by BMO Harris Bank.
The IHSA has been handing out state championships in boys golf since 1915. But it was not until the fall of 2010, the 4th season of Naperville Sports Weekly, where one of our local golfers stood atop the podium.
On October 16th, 2010 was already memorable for one local team as Naperville North finished in third place as a team that day. That afternoon Waubonsie Valley senior Thomas O’Bryan continued a two day battle with Crystal Lake South junior Nick Robles for the top of the state leaderboard.
Despite starting his final round with a double bogey, O’Bryan settled from there and ended with a 36 hole score of 148, the same score as Robles. That set up a playoff to decide the state champion.
Facing a tough 15 foot putt for par on the first playoff hole, O’Bryan sunk it to stay alive and continue to the playoff.
Robles then took a double bogey on the second hole. That left the Warrior with a short bogey putt to win the 2010 state championship. Despite top three finishes from great golfers like Raymond Knoll of Naperville North, Jack Vercautren of Neuqua Valley and Will Troy from Waubonsie Valley, O’Bryan remains the area’s lone boys golf state champ. The WV star was enshirined in the Waubonsie Valley Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018 and will be remembered for one of the most exciting finishes to a state tournament in Naperville Sports Weekly history.
For more prep sports highlights and vintage moments, visit our Naperville Sports Weekly page.
