Kari Wortinger Works Magic On Norwood Course
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
HUNTINGTON - The first time Kari Wortinger played Norwood Golf Course in Huntington, she shot a 90.
So no one would blame her if she wasn't too happy when the switch was made this year to move the Huntington Girls Golf Regional from LaFontaine to Norwood.
But the way Wortinger is playing, it didn't matter.
Wortinger rode a scoring front nine to a final score of 80 (3-over par) and ultimately a trip to the state finals Saturday and Oct. 11 at Prestwick Country Club in Avon.
Rebecca Rogers of Homestead was medalist with a 79, just one stroke ahead of Wortinger. Warsaw's team finished in seventh place out of eight schools.
With her round, Wortinger beat her career-best of 81 shot at Black Squirrel in Goshen. Wortinger shot a 1-under 38 on the front nine and battled through a stretch of five straight bogeys on the back nine to finish with a 42 on the back side and shaved 10 strokes off her previous outing at Norwood.
"I played well," Wortinger said. "I am mad because every hole there is always a shot I wish I could take back."
It was a reversal of fortunes from the sectional last Saturday at Rozella Ford for Wortinger, where she shot a 45 on the front nine and came back with a 39 on the back.
"I like the front now," Wortinger said jokingly. "On the back, I had that stretch of five (bogeys). I wasn't mad, but they were stupid. Those are holes I should par. In the back stretch I was nervous because I didn't want to blow it.
"I hit the ball straight and hit greens in regulation," she said. "Everything was rolling today. Putting saved me many times."
Wortinger has been medalist 13 of 16 dual matches this year plus the Northern Lakes Conference and sectional and then showed that she was no fluke at the regional, despite not shooting the best score.
"Coming in I was pretty calm," Wortinger said. "I wasn't nervous because I had nothing to lose. I know there are people here that are a lot better than me."
Maybe so, but a lot of people didn't finish ahead of Wortinger.
"She did what she had to do, she put herself in a position to advance," Wawasee coach Bill Lantz said. "She certainly didn't embarrass herself. She had a good showing. That is all you can ask for. You can't be upset with your best score ever."
For Warsaw, advancing wasn't as big as a possibility as Wortinger. Experience was the big picture.
The Tigers finished in seventh place with a 408, six strokes better than their 414 as last week's sectional and one spot ahead of sectional champion East Noble.
"The girls found what this is all about, and they want to come back again," Warsaw coach Bob Turner said. "This is a stepping stone for the next couple of years. We got some experience today. They knew coming in that this would be difficult with this group of talent that is here."
Brooke Westover led the Tigers with a 94, including a sizzing 40 on the front nine. Ashley Cooper also broke 100 for Warsaw with a 99.
"We played with some very good girls today," Turner said. "When I think about it, our girls are shooting scores that some of my really good girls (of the past) shot when they were seniors. Sometimes I forget that I have two freshmen and a sophomore who are starting. I want them to do better, but they are doing similar to what some juniors and seniors did on my good teams."
Kerri Wrobel added a 106, Tasha Nance a 109 and April Turner a 119.
"As young as we are, they found out what it is really going to take for us to compete with these people," Turner said. "The key is that they have to practice in June and July, because once August starts, there are matches three days a week."
Manchester's duo of Katie Parker and Dorey Bungitak finished out of the running for an individual slot with a 107 and 95 respectively.
Fort Wayne Snider 345, Marion 346, Huntington North 346, Fort Wayne Dwenger 353, Fort Wayne Concordia 381, Columbia City 396, Blackford 398, Warsaw 408, East Noble 413
Top three advancing individudals - Rebecca Rogers (Homestead) 79, Kari Wortinger (Wawasee) 80, Jessica Till (Dwenger) 81
Warsaw - Ashley Cooper 50-49, 99; Kerri Wrobel 55-51, 106; April Turner 60-59, 119; Tasha Nance 55-54, 109; Brooke Westover 40-54, 94
Manchester - Katie Parker 50-57, 107; Dorey Bungitak 49-46, 95 [[In-content Ad]]
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HUNTINGTON - The first time Kari Wortinger played Norwood Golf Course in Huntington, she shot a 90.
So no one would blame her if she wasn't too happy when the switch was made this year to move the Huntington Girls Golf Regional from LaFontaine to Norwood.
But the way Wortinger is playing, it didn't matter.
Wortinger rode a scoring front nine to a final score of 80 (3-over par) and ultimately a trip to the state finals Saturday and Oct. 11 at Prestwick Country Club in Avon.
Rebecca Rogers of Homestead was medalist with a 79, just one stroke ahead of Wortinger. Warsaw's team finished in seventh place out of eight schools.
With her round, Wortinger beat her career-best of 81 shot at Black Squirrel in Goshen. Wortinger shot a 1-under 38 on the front nine and battled through a stretch of five straight bogeys on the back nine to finish with a 42 on the back side and shaved 10 strokes off her previous outing at Norwood.
"I played well," Wortinger said. "I am mad because every hole there is always a shot I wish I could take back."
It was a reversal of fortunes from the sectional last Saturday at Rozella Ford for Wortinger, where she shot a 45 on the front nine and came back with a 39 on the back.
"I like the front now," Wortinger said jokingly. "On the back, I had that stretch of five (bogeys). I wasn't mad, but they were stupid. Those are holes I should par. In the back stretch I was nervous because I didn't want to blow it.
"I hit the ball straight and hit greens in regulation," she said. "Everything was rolling today. Putting saved me many times."
Wortinger has been medalist 13 of 16 dual matches this year plus the Northern Lakes Conference and sectional and then showed that she was no fluke at the regional, despite not shooting the best score.
"Coming in I was pretty calm," Wortinger said. "I wasn't nervous because I had nothing to lose. I know there are people here that are a lot better than me."
Maybe so, but a lot of people didn't finish ahead of Wortinger.
"She did what she had to do, she put herself in a position to advance," Wawasee coach Bill Lantz said. "She certainly didn't embarrass herself. She had a good showing. That is all you can ask for. You can't be upset with your best score ever."
For Warsaw, advancing wasn't as big as a possibility as Wortinger. Experience was the big picture.
The Tigers finished in seventh place with a 408, six strokes better than their 414 as last week's sectional and one spot ahead of sectional champion East Noble.
"The girls found what this is all about, and they want to come back again," Warsaw coach Bob Turner said. "This is a stepping stone for the next couple of years. We got some experience today. They knew coming in that this would be difficult with this group of talent that is here."
Brooke Westover led the Tigers with a 94, including a sizzing 40 on the front nine. Ashley Cooper also broke 100 for Warsaw with a 99.
"We played with some very good girls today," Turner said. "When I think about it, our girls are shooting scores that some of my really good girls (of the past) shot when they were seniors. Sometimes I forget that I have two freshmen and a sophomore who are starting. I want them to do better, but they are doing similar to what some juniors and seniors did on my good teams."
Kerri Wrobel added a 106, Tasha Nance a 109 and April Turner a 119.
"As young as we are, they found out what it is really going to take for us to compete with these people," Turner said. "The key is that they have to practice in June and July, because once August starts, there are matches three days a week."
Manchester's duo of Katie Parker and Dorey Bungitak finished out of the running for an individual slot with a 107 and 95 respectively.
Fort Wayne Snider 345, Marion 346, Huntington North 346, Fort Wayne Dwenger 353, Fort Wayne Concordia 381, Columbia City 396, Blackford 398, Warsaw 408, East Noble 413
Top three advancing individudals - Rebecca Rogers (Homestead) 79, Kari Wortinger (Wawasee) 80, Jessica Till (Dwenger) 81
Warsaw - Ashley Cooper 50-49, 99; Kerri Wrobel 55-51, 106; April Turner 60-59, 119; Tasha Nance 55-54, 109; Brooke Westover 40-54, 94
Manchester - Katie Parker 50-57, 107; Dorey Bungitak 49-46, 95 [[In-content Ad]]