Gold medals on the line for 3A, 2A individuals
Marissa Malosh struggled mentally while she was playing in the WPIAL Class 3A Section 2 girls golf qualifier at Cedarbrook.
“I didn’t believe that I was playing that well because my putting was a little bit off and my driver was getting away from me,” Malosh said. “There was a time when I was playing when my head wasn’t in the right place.”
It may have taken a few holes, but the South Fayette junior was able to get herself back into the match and had a lot more success than she could have initially fathomed.
Needing a target score of 88 to push through to the next round, Malosh rolled to a 70 that was the best score of any competitor in the four sectionals. With that total, she will be in the first group that tees off Thursday in the WPIAL Class 3A individual finals at Hannastown Country Club in Greensburg.
“I’ve been there twice — at a TriState PGA event there two years ago and, this summer, I was in a WPGA match-play event,” Malosh said. “I know the course vaguely, it’s a nice course, it’s in great condition, but the greens are tricky and have undulating slopes, so it’s definitely not going to be a walk in the park.”
Malosh will be in the first foursome off the tee with several familiar faces. Mt. Lebanon senior Lindsey Powanda, who won the championship last year at Oakmont Country Club, finished one shot behind Malosh at the Section 2 finals and was tied with Peters Township senior Allison Poon, who will also be in the first group.
Rounding out that foursome will be Seneca Valley sophomore Lihni Ranweera, who won the Section 1 title at Suncrest in Butler with a 72.
Powanda is the only player in the final group that qualified for the state finals last year.
“Honestly, I’m really excited about playing with my group,” Malosh said. “I’ve played with these girls for years and they’re all nice and, I’m not worried about that because it’s going to be good competition and it’s going to motivate me more.”
What may be a little strange is the fact the top scorers go off the tee first. On the boys side, the top scorers in the sectionals are the last ones to tee off.
“Honestly, I’m so used to playing in the morning with my personal tournaments that I’ve gotten used to it,” Malosh said. “Even though you’re a little stiff in the morning, you have to realize that everyone’s in the same boat.”
There is also a benefit to being the first on the course. You don’t have to sit around or hang out on the putting green for a couple of hours waiting to get started.
“I was thinking about that because I was wondering why we didn’t go off in the last group,” Malosh said. “But now I’m kind of happy about it because it doesn’t give me an opportunity to go to the range too long or worry about maybe I should do a swing change and it gives me a chance to be more focused and ready to go.”
Class 2A
Eva Bulger and Meghan Zambruno have battled each other at the WPIAL Class 2A finals for the past two years, so it’s no surprise the two would get matched up one last time in the lead group.
Zambruno, a senior at Greensburg Central Catholic, is looking to close out her high school career with an elusive WPIAL title. She has been one of the top contenders throughout her career, but finished behind Sewickley Academy’s Tatum McKelvey as a freshman and behind Bulger, the Quaker Valley junior, the past two.
Zambruno had the best score going into the finals with a 75 in the Section 2 qualifier at Pleasant Valley, while Bulger carded a 76 at DelMar.
They were the only two competitors to break 80 in the two sections.