Front-runners convert position into trophies

BRYANT — Tuesday’s stout wind out of the north subsided into a gentle souther- ly breeze Wednesday at Hurricane Golf and Country Club.

That’s about all that changed during the second and final day of the Class 6A girls state golf tournament.

Tuesday’s leaders — North Little Rock’s Mackenzie Lee as an individual and Springdale Har-Ber in the team standings — became Wednesday’s winners, and there was never really any doubt.

Lee came into Wednesday’s round with a three-shot lead over Har-Ber’s Grace Kilcrease and Mount Saint Mary junior Isabel Chaidez, and diminished their hopes with two birdies on the first three holes to lead Kilcrease by six and Chaidez by seven with 15 holes to play.

Lee cruised from there, shooting a 3-under 69 to finish at 7-under 137 for two rounds over the 5,098-yard course that played to par 72.

Lee’s lead over Kilcrease and Chaidez was never fewer than five strokes the rest of the way.

“From the start, I could tell they were struggling a little bit,” said Lee, a winner of three consecutive individual titles in the state’s largest classification. “I was just trying to go as deep as possible.”

Chaidez played the final four holes in 3 under to finish at even-par 72, and a two-day total of 1-under 143.

Kilcrease, who suffered a double bogey on the back nine, checked in with a 1-over 73 to finish at even-par 144, earning the third spot allotted to the 6A girls for the Oct. 15 state Overall tournament at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock.

It will be the third consecutive trip to the Overall for Lee, and the second opportunity for Kilcrease.

“It wasn’t the round I was hoping for,” said Kilcrease, who was able to take solace and even revel in her team’s dominating victory. “I’m so happy. I think this is going to allow a lot of kids to take up the game of golf at Har-Ber.”

Kilcrease had help from her teammates, with freshman Charlie Whorton shooting a 1-under 71 to post a two-day total of 6-over 150.

Abbey Ott, the only senior on the team, posted a 10-over 82, the third score Coach Tim Aynes got to count. That came after Ott played the final two holes in 5 over.

Aynes said Ott’s leadership was an important factor in Har-Ber winning the championship.

“My senior, Abbey, instead of eating steak with us last night, said I need to go to the range,” Aynes said. “She missed Texas Roadhouse to go hit range balls. She was close to being 77-78, and she stumbled on the final two holes or she would have been in the 70s.

“That’s the way this group of girls are. They feed off each other. They keep wanting to get better and better.

“I couldn’t be more proud of a group that followed up a pretty good day with even a better one.”

Har-Ber’s top three scorers Wednesday came in at 226, eight shots better than Tuesday. The two-day total (460) was 29 strokes ahead of second-place Fayetteville.

Cabot, the 7A-Central champion, was third at 520, five strokes ahead of threetime defending champion Bentonville.

Lee will try to make it four in a row next year, but Kilcrease, Chaidez and Whorton will try to close the gap.

Aynes said he thinks they can, but he also said Lee is fun to watch. He said he is looking forward to watching her play more than a few holes at the state Overall, especially if Kilcrease is paired with Lee.

It is not out of the question, Aynes said, that Kilcrease — who has played golf for only three years — can push Lee harder in the future.

“She just keeps getting better,” said Aynes, describing Kilcrease as being in “awe” of Lee two years ago. “She’s come so far. I think the intimidation is gone. She doesn’t make mistakes.”

Chaidez, who makes her scores with a nifty short game, regularly partners with Lee for rounds at Eagle Hill Golf Course.

She’s not unnerved by Lee, but she’s also realistic.

“She’s so good,” Chaidez said.