Platte County paired the present and the future at the top of the lineup in Tuesday’s trip to the season-opening Dottie Drukker Memorial Two-Person Scramble at Tiffany Greens Golf Course in Kansas City. With just six players on this year’s roster, the Pirates used senior returning state qualifier Grace Handke with freshman Naomi Loehner in the No. 1 spot.
Platte County freshman Naomi Loehner hits a tee shot during the Dottie Drukker Memorial Two-Person Scramble on Tuesday at Tiffany Greens Golf Course in Kansas City.
Handke made a pair of Eagles to aid a round of 7-over 72, which tied for third in the tournament.
Each team entered up to three two-player teams to play in the scramble format, which allows each person to play a shot from the same designated best spot. Platte County posted a team total of 164 with sophomore Finely Dougan and junior Ainsley Habel adding a 14-over 86 in a new-look lineup replacing four seniors in addition to other member’s of last season’s roster not back out.
Loehner made her debut, while Dougan brings back the only other varsity experience outside of Handke, a third-year member of the lineup.
“The girls teamed up with a veteran player and a new player to make the scramble teams for the day,” Platte County coach Trevor Short said. “This allowed the veterans to help guide our new players around for their first event. The experience was very beneficial to our team as we head into the rest of the season.”
Platte County sophomore Finnley Dougan hits a chip shot during the Dottie Drukker Memorial Two-Person Scramble on Tuesday at Tiffany Greens Golf Course in Kansas City.
Platte County junior Lila Sedlacek and and sophomore Grace Gaspers were the final pairing for the Pirates and finished 17th with a 100. Final team standings were not available.
St. Joseph Central Invitational
Platte County’s bunched finishes resulted in a fifth-place showing in Thursday’s 18-hole tournament at Moila Country Club in St. Joseph. Led by Handke’s 105 on the par 74 setup, the Pirates posted a 459 with all five golfers between 16th and 29th on the individual leaderboard.
In addition to Handke, Loehner (21st, 115), Sedlacek (24th, 119) and Dougan (25th, 120) rounded out Platte County’s team score.
“We had a bit of a rough start and couldn’t quite get back on track the rest of the day,” Short said. “Moilia is a tough, older course with lots of mature trees lining the fairways. If you are not in the fairway, you have to get yourself back out of trouble before you can make an attempt at the green. We did learn a lot from the tournament and will focus on those troubled areas this week in practice.”
Handke posted one of the best scores of her career, while three others played the first solo varsity tournament of their career. Habel shot a 126 and finished 29th.
