Silcott brings family’s golf journey full circle with program’s 1st all-state medal

Bailey Silcott battled and slogged through 18 holes fully aware of the momentous chapter of her family’s golf legacy potentially manifesting.

Until the very end of a delayed second round in the Class 3 Missouri State Golf Championships, any one errant, any one missed putt could have altered the final narrative, but Platte County’s unquestioned senior leader made a series of clutch shots to finish off a two-round 87-88—175 score to place 15th in a field of 85 competitors.

By the slimmest of margins, Silcott became Platte County’s first all-state girls golfer a little more than 25 years after the program’s foundation for the lone inaugural player — Bailey’s mother Amy Silcott coached by Bailey’s grandfather and PGA pro Brian Silcott. Oh, and Bailey’s final rounds of her career were played Monday and Tuesday at Columbia Country Club, which happens to be the course Amy Silcott played at state her senior year in the fall of 1998.

Of course, mother, grandfather, grandmother Debbie Silcott and aunt Abby Silcott were on hand for all 36 holes for what could be described as an unforgettable familial experience and even that likely doesn’t begin to capture the full weight of emotions.

“I couldn’t have asked for a more loving family to walk with me throughout my whole golf career,” Bailey Silcott said. “I never went to one golf tournament without my family being there. They are everything to me, and I’m blessed I could have them by my side in such a special moment.”

Platte County missed out on a full team berth to state for the first time in three years after disappointing performance in last week’s Class 3 District 4 tournament. However, Silcott and junior Lily Ricketts (t-62, 104-98—202) qualified for the third time, while sophomore Ella Green (t-30, 89-97—186) made it two straight trips to give the Pirates solid representation.

With no team goals to pursue, Platte County’s three players were left to chase an elusive individual accomplishment for a program started in 1997.

The Silcotts moved to Platte City in the mid-90s so Brian could serve as the pro at newly constructed Shiloh Springs Golf Course. When Amy Silcott reached high school, she initially played on Platte County’s boys team for two years before the girls program started in the fall of her junior year.

Under her father’s direction, Amy Silcott would become Platte County’s first state qualifier, advancing both as a junior or a senior back when the Pirates were still in Class 1. She did not make all-state but unknowingly paved the way for her daughter to achieve more program history a quarter of a century later.

Bailey Silcott shot a 14-over 87 in Monday’s opening round and went into the final day tied for 10th and in solid position but then needed a pair of birdies and a bogey save after a lost tee shot to stay on the podium. She ended up alone in 15th place, just one shot ahead of Capital City’s Jaycie Lowery.

In two previous trips to state, Bailey Silcott finished 42nd as a sophomore and 27th as a junior before the monumental breakthrough this week.

“Emotions were all over these past two days,” Amy Silcott said. “Knowing this was the end of her high school career was sad, but once it started and she was playing so well, the sadness was quickly replaced by assignment. I am so honored to share program history with her. For this to be her final tournament and to feel like we have truly come full circle in our journey with this golf program is an emotion I can’t explain.

“It’s just so special for us as mother and daughter to experience.”

Cold weather greeted players for Monday’s opening round, and Bailey Silcott did not have a birdie but carded seven pars and seven bogeys in what ended up a 14-over round. While generally off the all-state pace, scores were generally high across the board, and the goals might have slightly changed at that point.

Bailey Silcott entered the year as the presumed No. 1 in Platte County’s lineup but mostly shared that role with Green during a somewhat up-and-down season.

“The only expectations I had for myself on the first day were to swing smooth and have fun,” Bailey Silcott said. “It was definitely hard to sleep that night knowing I had a chance to get all-state, but I made sure I kept my head in the game.

“Going into my final round, I made sure to stay positive and to keep a strong mentality.”

Bailey Silcott would hover around the all-state line for all 18 holes, which were played after an 11 a.m. shotgun start with frost on the course pushing back the original tee times by about 3 hours.

Starting at No. 2, Bailey Silcott hit trouble with a quadruple bogey at No. 4 before she pulled back to 5-over with a birdie on the par-3 sixth. However, a quintuple bogey followed at No. 7, leaving her with 12 holes to play and a lot of work to maintain an all-state spot, which goes to the top 15 plus anyone tied for 15th.

“I had one or two holes that I lost focus on but my goal was to make up for those holes as much as I could through the rest of the round,” Bailey Silcott said. “I knew I had it in me so I did what I had to do to be able to get in that top 15.”

With her mother occasionally turning herself away unable to watch some critical shots, what Bailey Silcott ended up doing included another birdie at No. 10 to soften the blow of six bogeys and one double bogey at No. 14 in her final seven holes.

However, that run included taking a penalty stroke on No. 17 and still recording a five on the par 4 with a sand save that landed within inches of the pin for a tap-in putt.

Bailey Silcott and her family then waited for the final scorecards to see if the final scene would be one of elation or disappointment. There would be no in between with her status, and she ultimately ended up with a medal to validate years of hard work in a game her family taught her to love.

“What a rollercoaster of a ride that we were able to be a part of this tournament,” Platte County coach Trevor Short said. “Bailey has worked very hard at her craft for a while, and it paid off for her yesterday.”

Earlier this season, Green set the Platte County record for lowest 18-hole round with an 80 and envisioned moving up from last year’s tie for 25th as a freshman. She fired a first round 89th and sat in a tie for 13th after Monday’s first round, which included six pars with a 6-over 10 on the 10th by far the biggest blemish.

An all-state second round didn’t materialize with Green making just two pars and carding double bogey or worse on eight holes.

Ricketts posted her best state finish in three tries after struggling to 68th as a freshman and 82nd as a sophomore. She posted a birdie on the par-3 16th in otherwise difficult opening round of 104 , then came back to improve on her second 18 with a 98 to finish in a tie for 62nd.

“Lily Ricketts and Ella Green both have another opportunity to make it back to state next year and will use this tournament to fuel their efforts into making it back,” Short said.

Despite perhaps missing some personal targets for state performance, Ricketts and Green stuck around to support with their senior teammate one final time, sandwiching her in a celebratory hug after the state medal presentation.

Then came the opportunity to bask in a generational accomplishment, a seed the Silcott sowed 25 years ago wholly unaware the eventual bloom would be Bailey’s poignantly historic all-state performance.