It might have been a really good omen for Reeths-Puffer golf standout Sophia McCollum.
McCollum and R-P teammate Olivia Ambler competed in the Gull Lake Blue Devil Invitational on Wednesday at Bedford Valley Golf Course in Battle Creek – the same course that will host the Division 2 state finals in a few weeks.
McCollum showed how good she can be on the course, winning the tournament championship with a three under par score of 75.
She birdied holes 2, 4, 13, and 17. She had a tremendous birdie on hole 13 after a long bunker shot. She also had two clutch putts on her last two holes. On her final hole she sank a 20-foot putt for birdie to clinch the title.
McCollum, who has been ripping through her junior season, tied Forest Hills Eastern’s Stella Bernhardt for the lowest score, but won in a tiebreaker formula .She now has eight first-place finishes in various events this year.
R-P's Olivia Ambler and Sophia McCollum
She will try to qualify for the state finals for the second straight year, and the chance to shoot at Bedford Valley again, when R-P competes in Division 2 regionals next week.
“Sophia showed some real mental toughness down the stretch,” said R-P head coach Matt Pallett. “She had a bad break that led to a bogey on her 2nd to last hole. She actually drained a clutch 15 putt to salvage the bogey.
“She turned right around and sank a tremendous birdie putt on her last hole. She has hit some big time shots when she has needed them to close out rounds.”
Ambler also had a great day in the tournament, shooting a personal best score of 85, finishing 10th and earning an All Tournament medal.
“Olivia is playing well,” Pallett said. “She has now shot back-to-back personal bests. She had some bad breaks today, as well, and persevered through them. Her round could have been even better.”
The full Reeths-Puffer team will compete in the O-K Green conference championship tournament on Thursday.