Thursday, October 07, 1999
Ursuline wins district golf title
Coach Sahms celebrates her birthday
BY DAVE SCHUTTE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
It was a birthday present that Ursuline golf coach Marianne Sahms will cherish for a long time, and it came in the form of a trophy.
Despite temperatures in the low 50s, extremely fast greens and tees moved back, the Lions fired a 360, good enough to win the girls district championship Tuesday at the Hamilton Elks Golf Club.
The victory earned Ursuline a berth in the state tournament next week in Columbus. The Lions finished as state runner-up in 1998.
“The course played tough and much longer than expected,” Sahms said. “The balls rolled nicely on the greens but they were much faster than the girls were used to.”
Also qualifying to the state meet were St. Ursula (364), Centerville (367), Wilmington (377) and Lakota West (383).
After the first nine, it appeared a struggling Ursuline team was out of the running for first place. The Lions fired a 186, five behind front running St. Ursula and Centerville, both at 181.
“I wasn't worried about not qualifying to state after I saw the scores of the other teams at the turn,” Sahms said. “Several of the girls came on strong on the back nine.”
After shooting a disappointing 52 on the front, district medalist Jenny Clarke turned it on on the back nine and ended up with a 96. But Jenny Salmon was the difference.
“Jenny just started playing during the summer,” Sahms said. “I watched her enough to know that she thrives on challenges. That's why I told her at the turn we would use her score.”
Salmon responded with a 46 on the back nine for a total score of 98, fourth-best, which was included in the final score.
St. Ursula coach Tony Kountz predicts that Ursuline will be the favorite to win the state championship.
“Ursuline has been playing solid golf and deserves to be the favorites,” Kountz said.
“We beat them three times early in the season but they beat us the last three. It doesn't make any difference how you did in August. It only matters how you're playing today.”
Erin McAfee's 10-over 82 paced Ursuline with Carrie Farnham close behind at 84. Molly Smyth paced St. Ursula with an 83.
Wilmington senior Gabby Wedding, considered one of the best players in Ohio, had an off day, shooting an 84.
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