High School Golf: Greene Co.’s Danielson nabs third at conference tourney

By BRANDON HURLEY

Sports Editor

sports@beeherald.com

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An 11-stroke improvement from a year ago helped power Greene County’s Rachael Danielson to a third place finish at the HOIC tournament Wednesday afternoon. 

The junior carded a season-best 87 at Cedar Pointe Golf Club, securing consecutive all-conference honors and a bronze medal, just three strokes short of runner-up. 

Gilbert’s Britta Snyder won the 2017 conference title, carding a 77 while PCM’s Bre Maher finished second with an 84. 

Nevada’s Claire Ausman fired an 88 to finish fourth while teammate Emma Griffin shot a 90 to round out the top five. 

“I thought Rachael did a really nice job of keeping her composure during the round,” Greene County head coach Heath Tellen said. “I thought she played very well against some great competition.”

Danielson finished fourth as a sophomore last year, firing a 98. 

For an inexperienced team, the Rams shot a bit higher than they had hoped, coming in seventh overall with a total score of 465. Nevada captured the team championship tallying 371 while Gilbert carded a 383 to finish runner-up. South Hamilton (402), PCM (410) and Roland-Story (424) rounded out the top five. CMB recorded a total score of 461 to finish just four strokes ahead of Greene County  in sixth place. 

The Cubs placed four golfers in the top 10 and two in the top five – Chloe Davis (eighth) and Kelby Reweits (10th) to capture the team crown. South Hamilton received top 12 scores from three of their varsity golfers to pace their third place finish. All four of Nevada’s golfers shot under 100. 

Danielson turned in a six-over 42 on the front nine but stumbled a bit on the back nine to card a nine-over 45. 

The junior shook off a bogey-bogey start to pick up three consecutive pars on holes three through five. Danielson rolled in four total pars on the front nine but unraveled a bit on the closing out the ninth, carding a double-bogey. The 2016 state-qualifier double-bogeyed the 10th and 12th holes but picked up pars on the 13th hole and the 15th. Danielson tallied six pars on her 18-hole round. 

Snyder opened her medalist round with a six-over 42 on the front nine as well, but locked in and fired an even-par 35 on the back nine, rolling in back-to-back birdies on holes 13 and 14. 

Maher carded a 43 on the front nine but turned a 41 on the back nine to sneak into second place. She pared four holes on the back to secure runner-up. 

No other Ram shot below 100 Wednesday in Boone. 

Greene County’s No. 4 golfer, Lindsey Paulsen fired a 121 to come in 31st overall while Greene County No. 2 Ellie Madson came in just a few strokes behind and turned in a 123 good for 32nd overall. 

Emily Heupel turned in a 134 to round out the Rams’ top four. She came in 37th overall. 

“Several of our girls had one nine that was a great score, only to have have things get away from them on the other nine,” Tellen said. “Eighteen holes was a new experience for three of them, so we can use it as a learning experience.”

The Rams are next in action Thursday, May 11 for a quadrangular at the Tournament Club of Iowa in Polk City. They will square off against North Polk, Nevada and Pleasantville. 

Regional play begins May 15 at Majestic Hills Golf Course in Denison.