CB West’s Abby Lynn captured the individual title at the SOL Championships. Fourteen SOL golfers qualified for districts. Photos provided courtesy of Diana Leferovich. Check back for a gallery of photos.
By Ben Reese
WARMINSTER — Maybe it’s true that the more often you do something, the better you get at it.
That certainly holds true for Abby Lynn of Central Bucks West and Emma Reilly of Central Bucks South. They finished first and second respectively in the Suburban One League girls golf championships on Wednesday at Five Ponds Golf Course.
The duo finished tied for second last year in the SOL Championship to Jade Gu of Pennsbury.
This year, Lynn, at least, turned the tables with her first place finish. Reilly still got the second spot.
However, the 2021version of the leaderboard was much closer between first and second than it was in 2020. Last year, Gu shot a scorching 71 while Lynn and Reilly turned in identical 79s.
This year, Lynn took top honors with a 72 and Reilly followed closely with a 73. Third place went to Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Rhianna Gooneratne with a 75, winning on a match of cards with Elle Lundquist of CB East, also at 75.
So, Abby, did you come into this tournament looking for a victory after taking second last year?
“No,” she said, “just to play smart golf today and hopefully just to par and birdie but no doubles. If I said I need to win, I probably would have mentally messed up more.”
Well, obviously Lynn didn’t mess up much at all. A 2-over 72 doesn’t leave much room for “messing” up.
And, while victory is something to hang on the wall, it isn’t the end of the road for Lynn, Reilly, Gooneratne, Lundquist or the ten other girls who have advanced to next week’s District One Tournament.
“(Districts are) pretty important,” Lynn said. “It’s my goal. I want to get to states this year since I didn’t get to it last year.”
How about you, Emma?
“I’m excited to move on to districts,” she said. “I’m hoping I play well and qualify for states this year so I just have to keep the game I had today.”
Reilly had a good feeling entering the tournament.
“I play well on this course,” she said, “so I expected to be somewhere in the low 70s. I was just excited to play.”
Both of the top two girls did advance to districts in 2020. But neither one of them got past that point.
However, they both had their “A” games going on Wednesday.
“My tee shots really went well,” said Lynn. “And my putting and chipping were better than what I thought they would be, honestly.”
Reilly had a similar experience with her shots.
“My iron shots went really well,” said Reilly. “I was able to put my putts close.”
Only close?
“Some in,” Reilly said with a laugh. “Not all of them. Mainly getting on in regulation helped me out.”
As for Gooneratne and Lundquist, third place came down to a match of their cards and scoring on the highest handicap holes. Both girls parred the toughest hole, No. 8, but Gooneratne also parred the second toughest hole, No. 16, while Lundquist settled for a bogey.
The other SOL qualifiers for the District One Tournament are North Penn’s Hayley Ekert (82), Taryn Shine of Pennridge (82), Council Rock South’s Audrey Reese (82), Talia Hoffner of Upper Dublin (83), Wissahickon’s Bella May (84), Alexandra Engart of Souderton (85), Springfield’s Mollie Young (87), Leah Armour (89) and Nina Harris (91) of CB East and North Penn’s Camryn Lampitoc (95).
The SOL had 26 available spots for districts but only filled 14 of them. The cutoff for the girls was set at 98 strokes.
Of the 14 qualifiers, nine of them qualified for districts in 2020. There were 13 qualifiers last year.
Now the girls join the boys’ qualifiers from Tuesday’s tournament at the District One Tournament. It begins on Monday, Oct. 4, and continues on Tuesday, Oct. 5.
The boys play two rounds at Turtle Creek Golf Course. The girls play their opening round at Raven’s Claw Golf Club and, after a cut of both the boys and girls fields, play at Turtle Creek.
DISTRICT QUALIFIERS
Abby Lynn, CB West 72
Emma Reilly, CB East 73
Rhianna Gooneratne, PW 75
Elle Lundquist, CB East 75
HJayley Ekert, North Penn 82
Taryn Shine, Pennridge 82
Audrey Reese, CR South 82
Talia Hoffner, Upper Dublin 83
Bella May, Wissahickon 84
Alexandra Engart, Souderton 85
Mollie Young, Springfield 87
Leah Armour, CB East 89
Nina Harris, CB East 91
Camryn Lampitoc, North Penn 95
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