This is how tough the girls golf competition can be in the O-K Green conference:
The Reeths-Puffer golf team shot its best round of the season on Thursday at the conference championship tournament at Saskatoon Golf Club, but still finished in fourth place out of five teams.
The good news is that R-P’s top golfers, senior Rowan Bluhm and sophomore Sophia McCollom, both had great days, finishing in the top five individually and earning medals and All-Conference honors for the second straight season.
Bluhm shot a 76, the best round of her high school career, and finished second in the individual standings, five shots behind the champion, Caledonia’s Copelin O’Krangley.
Rowan Bluhm, who finished in second place.
McCollum shot an 81 and finished fourth individually in the tournament.
“Both Rowan and Sophia showed great mental toughness today,” said R-P Coach Matt Pallett. “Rowan was able to bounce back from a not-so-great start and Sophia was able to battle all day without playing her best.
“I am very proud of Rowan and Sophia. To be All-Conference in this conference is no easy thing. Both had great years and earned everything they got.”
Sophia McCollum, who finished in fourth place.
R-P sophomore Olivia Ambler shot a career-best 89, despite breaking several clubs. Sophomore Ella Voorhies shot a 98, her second straight round under 100. Senior Emma Dvorak continued her season-long improvement by shooting a 116.
All of the good shooting left the Rockets with a team score of 344, which was the nine shots better than the Rockets’ previous best mark this season.
Caledonia won the tournament with a 322 score. Byron Center (332) was second, Mona Shores (338) was third and Jenison (378) took fifth.
Reeths-Puffer finished third in the final overall conference standings. Bluhm finished with the second-best average in the conference while McCollum finished sixth.
Olivia Ambler, who shot a career-best score despite breaking several clubs.
The Rockets will compete in a Division 2 regional tournament on Tuesday, where teams and individuals will battle to qualify for the state finals.
They will also compete in the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association City Tournament on the Oct. 14 makeup date,
“It is hard to shoot your best team round of the year and finish fourth, but that just shows the quality of teams in the O-K Green,” Pallett said about the conference tournament. “We continue to trend in the right direction as we head to regionals on Tuesday.”