The Alexandria girls golf team went to Becker to play on the Pebble Creek Golf Course in the season opener on Thursday and came back with a fifth-place finish.
Fourteen teams took to the course and perennially strong Minnewaska-Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa won the event by shooting a 335. BOLD shot a 350, Detroit Lakes a 351, Hutchinson a 353 and Alexandria finished with a 357 to round out the top five.
“All of our players played a little better on the front nine,” Alexandria head coach Tim Zupfer said. “This nine did play easier, as one of the par 5s had to be shortened to a par 3. However, we started on the back nine. We seemed to play much better as we settled into our rounds. Every player had a few rough holes with some big numbers. Many of these were early in their rounds, and nerves may have played a factor.”
The teams played Pebble Creek as a par 70 after having to shorten the one par 5. Junior Ciara O’Connor led the Cardinals with a 79 that was good for second place individually, just two shots off the medalist round of junior Shelby Busker from Detroit Lakes.
“Ciara had a very nice start to her season,” Zupfer said. “Her round included two birdies and nine pars. She also hit eight greens in regulation. She was frustrated to have three big numbers on her scorecard. Her short game was very solid for this early in the season.”
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Cora Larson, a freshman, tied for eighth after shooting an 84. She carded a 38 on the front nine, which she played as her second nine holes. She had just one slip up on the front with a triple bogey.
“Her round included 11 pars,” Zupfer said. “Cora was a little frustrated with her chipping and putting, something she has not had an opportunity to practice yet.”
Eighth-grader Aisling O’Connor was Alexandria’s third golfer with a 95, and freshman Lauren Rebrovich rounded out the team scoring with a 99. Freshman Isabella Hagen shot a 114 to finish off the lineup.
O’Connor finished strong on her second nine with a 44, and Zupfer said Rebrovich struggled with her ball striking much of the round but was able to hit her driver well and roll in some nice putts. Hagen settled in during what was the first varsity meet of her career.
“She has progressed very well in practice and has earned an opportunity to play in some of the varsity events,” Zupfer said. “She responded well after a slow start. She learned to hit bunker shots on the fly, as this was something we have yet to practice.”
The Cardinals are now gearing up for a busy stretch. They play at the Legacy Invite on Monday hosted by Staples-Motley. Alexandria hosts its own invite at the Alexandria Golf Club on Wednesday and then goes to Willmar on Thursday for the first Central Lakes Conference meet.
BECKER INVITE
TEAM SCORES - Minnewaska-BBE - 335; BOLD - 350; Detroit Lakes - 351; Hutchinson - 353; Alexandria - 357; St. Francis - 360; St. Michael-Albertville - 365; Rogers - 369; St. Cloud Cathedral - 386; Waconia - 400; Albany - 402; Becker - 444; Dassel Cokato - 452; Big Lake - 489
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ALEXANDRIA SCORES - Ciara O’Connor - 39, 40 - 79; Cora Larson - 38, 46 - 84; Aisling O’Connor - 44, 51 - 95; Lauren Rebrovich - 47, 52 - 99; Isabella Hagen - 51, 63 - 114
