Front Nine Doesn't Rough Up Wortinger's Game
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
After three-putting hole No. 9 and coming off the green, most onlookers would have thought that Kari Wortinger had just shot the worst round of her career.
It looked as if the pressure as the heavy favorite may have been too much for her. Head coach Bill Lantz had trouble getting her to talk to him about the first half of her round. After stepping off of the front nine, she headed straight for hole No. 10 before even stopping to talk to anyone.
"She was more than mad," Lantz said. "She was steaming. Sometimes when you're struggling, you can shoot that score and feel lucky. But her putter left her on the front nine. She had four three-putts."
Wortinger's "terrible" score ended up being a 45, tied for the second-best on the front nine. She came back with a 39 on the back nine to shoot an 84, nine strokes better than anyone else at the event.
The Warsaw team also did as expected, placing second with a score of 414. The Tigers ended just three strokes behind East Noble, which took the team title for the second consecutive year. Columbia City nudged Manchester by three strokes for third place with a 431, but the Squires took a consolation prize home by moving Katie Parker and Dorey Bungitak onto the Huntington Regional with the second- and third-best scores among all teams that did not advance.
"It seems like East Noble is my nemesis," Warsaw coach Bob Turner said. "The important thing is that we're going to get to play another week."
Ashley Cooper shot a 93 and placed second overall after winning a tiebreaker against East Noble's Janessa Mast. Brooke Westover, playing in the No. 1 spot for the Tigers, struggled with a 109.
"We're a team," Turner said. "No one individual makes or breaks a team. I thought Cooper and April (Turner) played well. It's tough being the coach's daughter, because it's easy for me to get on her if she doesn't do well."
Turner shot a 107, while Kerri Wrobel shot a 105. Tosha Nance added a 109 for the Tigers.
Although Manchester came up three strokes short of moving on as a team, head coach Jody Shewman has a few things to look forward to. Parker's 99 and Bungitak's 103 put them in the Regional at Huntington on Saturday.
Wawasee placed fifth with a 458. After Wortinger's 84, Julia Wolfe shot a 117 for the Warriors.
Valley placed sixth with a 491, but Brenda Rose took fourth place overall among individuals on teams not advancing. Her 108 was good enough to make her an alternative in case one of the top three can not make it this weekend. Erica Pontious shot the second best score for the Vikings with a 118.
Whitko took last at the event with a 535. Jodi Walters shot a 121 to lead the Wildcats.
Warsaw, Wortinger, Parker and Bungitak will compete in the Huntington Regional on Saturday.
EAST NOBLE 411, WARSAW 414, COLUMBIA CITY 431, MANCHESTER 434, WAWASEE 458, VALLEY 491, WESTVIEW 515, WEST NOBLE 526, WHITKO 535
Warsaw - Brooke Westover 57-52 109, Ashley Cooper 44-49 93, April Turner 59-48 107, Kerri Wrobel 55-50 105, Tosha Nance 56-53 109
Manchester - Katie Parker 50-49 99, Dorey Bungitak 54-49 103, Jodee Ruppel 56-57 113, Demara Knight 60-59 119, Kasha Wieland 59-65 124
Wawasee - Kari Wortinger 45-39 84, Julia Wolfe 57-60 117, Stephanie Wihebrink 72-67 139, Kelly Drake 68-61 129, Emily Robertson 64-64 128
Valley - Brenda Rose 50-58 108, Wendy Tilden 68-61 129, Mary Gast 78-83 161, Erica Pontious 58-60 118, Terra Weaver 74-62 136
Whitko - Jodi Walters 65-56 121, Mariah Krider 66-66 132, Sheena Stewart 76-64 140, Kelli Walters 80-82 162, Deanna Metler 75-67 142 [[In-content Ad]]
After three-putting hole No. 9 and coming off the green, most onlookers would have thought that Kari Wortinger had just shot the worst round of her career.
It looked as if the pressure as the heavy favorite may have been too much for her. Head coach Bill Lantz had trouble getting her to talk to him about the first half of her round. After stepping off of the front nine, she headed straight for hole No. 10 before even stopping to talk to anyone.
"She was more than mad," Lantz said. "She was steaming. Sometimes when you're struggling, you can shoot that score and feel lucky. But her putter left her on the front nine. She had four three-putts."
Wortinger's "terrible" score ended up being a 45, tied for the second-best on the front nine. She came back with a 39 on the back nine to shoot an 84, nine strokes better than anyone else at the event.
The Warsaw team also did as expected, placing second with a score of 414. The Tigers ended just three strokes behind East Noble, which took the team title for the second consecutive year. Columbia City nudged Manchester by three strokes for third place with a 431, but the Squires took a consolation prize home by moving Katie Parker and Dorey Bungitak onto the Huntington Regional with the second- and third-best scores among all teams that did not advance.
"It seems like East Noble is my nemesis," Warsaw coach Bob Turner said. "The important thing is that we're going to get to play another week."
Ashley Cooper shot a 93 and placed second overall after winning a tiebreaker against East Noble's Janessa Mast. Brooke Westover, playing in the No. 1 spot for the Tigers, struggled with a 109.
"We're a team," Turner said. "No one individual makes or breaks a team. I thought Cooper and April (Turner) played well. It's tough being the coach's daughter, because it's easy for me to get on her if she doesn't do well."
Turner shot a 107, while Kerri Wrobel shot a 105. Tosha Nance added a 109 for the Tigers.
Although Manchester came up three strokes short of moving on as a team, head coach Jody Shewman has a few things to look forward to. Parker's 99 and Bungitak's 103 put them in the Regional at Huntington on Saturday.
Wawasee placed fifth with a 458. After Wortinger's 84, Julia Wolfe shot a 117 for the Warriors.
Valley placed sixth with a 491, but Brenda Rose took fourth place overall among individuals on teams not advancing. Her 108 was good enough to make her an alternative in case one of the top three can not make it this weekend. Erica Pontious shot the second best score for the Vikings with a 118.
Whitko took last at the event with a 535. Jodi Walters shot a 121 to lead the Wildcats.
Warsaw, Wortinger, Parker and Bungitak will compete in the Huntington Regional on Saturday.
EAST NOBLE 411, WARSAW 414, COLUMBIA CITY 431, MANCHESTER 434, WAWASEE 458, VALLEY 491, WESTVIEW 515, WEST NOBLE 526, WHITKO 535
Warsaw - Brooke Westover 57-52 109, Ashley Cooper 44-49 93, April Turner 59-48 107, Kerri Wrobel 55-50 105, Tosha Nance 56-53 109
Manchester - Katie Parker 50-49 99, Dorey Bungitak 54-49 103, Jodee Ruppel 56-57 113, Demara Knight 60-59 119, Kasha Wieland 59-65 124
Wawasee - Kari Wortinger 45-39 84, Julia Wolfe 57-60 117, Stephanie Wihebrink 72-67 139, Kelly Drake 68-61 129, Emily Robertson 64-64 128
Valley - Brenda Rose 50-58 108, Wendy Tilden 68-61 129, Mary Gast 78-83 161, Erica Pontious 58-60 118, Terra Weaver 74-62 136
Whitko - Jodi Walters 65-56 121, Mariah Krider 66-66 132, Sheena Stewart 76-64 140, Kelli Walters 80-82 162, Deanna Metler 75-67 142 [[In-content Ad]]