The Reeths-Puffer girls golf team’s hard work is starting to pay off, and it showed on Wednesday when the Rockets had their best outing of the season.
R-P's Paige Anderson had the best day, taking first place at the second O-K Green Conference Jamboree of the season at The Mines golf course in Grand Rapids. Anderson shot an even par 35 over nine holes, easily outdistancing second-place Ryke Smith of Zeeland West, who shot a 40.
R-P's Paige Anderson, who took first place at the second O-K Green Jamboree.
“Paige had a great round,” said R-P golf coach Matt Pallett. “Her bogey on her second hole set her up for a great day. Her birdie chip got a little past the hole and just caught a ridge and then rolled 30 feet down a hill. It was looking like a double or triple bogey. But she calmly chipped back up the hill and made the putt for what we like to call a good bogey. She played great from there, with three birdies.”
The Rockets finished third overall in the five-team field with 206 points. Mona Shores won the event with 183.
Reeths-Puffer’s Ella Klimsza tied for seventh individually with a 48, her best nine-hole score of the year. Abby Haak shot a 59, Avery Luna and Rowan Bluhm (making her first appearance of the season after recovering from an injury) both shot a 64 and Ava Freed finished with a 73.
“I am so proud of my girls,” Pallett said. “They all played well on a difficult course. They are all showing a mental toughness to get through a bad shot or bad hole. They continue to work on their short games in practice to improve their individual scores.”