Before Wednesday’s 2A state girls golf tournament, the best score Beaver High junior Brittni Crum had ever posted in a round of golf was 91.
Naturally, with the wind howling, temperature dropping and heavy rain making conditions downright miserable at The Ridge Golf Course in West Valley City, Crum shot a 9-over-par 81 and won 2A medalist honors by three strokes over Rowland Hall’s Kate Weissman, the runner-up.
“The best I have ever done in a tournament is a 97, so yeah, you could say I’m a little surprised,” Crum said.
Thanks to Crum’s career round and gritty play by teammates Gentry Brown, Sunnie Moon and Mone Williams in some of the worst weather for golf imaginable for much of the day, Beaver rolled to its third-straight 2A girls golf championship.
About the only thing the Beavers did wrong Wednesday was drop the championship trophy at the clubhouse at The Ridge, after receiving it from Utah Section PGA Executive Director Devin Dehlin. And it was nowhere near as slippery as the grips on their golf clubs.
“The weather wasn’t the best, but we are used to it,” Crum said. “In our region tournament (Region 18), we were playing in pouring rain, so I guess we kinda got practice for this tournament. We just had to fight through it.”
That they did, beating Region 18 champion South Sevier by 23 strokes. Beaver came in at +69, while the Rams were at +92 and third-place Rowland Hall finished at +105.
Beaver coach Chanda Gardner said she was a “little bit” surprised by the runaway win because her squad — which numbers 20 girls — didn’t win a region match or tournament all season, losing to South Sevier or Millard in all six get-togethers.
“We have been watching South Sevier shoot really low numbers all season,” Gardner said. “We came into it hoping for the best today and we are just glad it worked out.”
Gardner said the adverse conditions “definitely” helped the Beavers, who experience it regularly at their home course, Canyon Breeze Golf Club in Beaver.
“My kids know how to play in bad weather, and I think it gave us a little bit of an edge,” Gardner said.
The coach, who doubles as the manager of Canyon Breeze, said the key to the three-peat was Crum’s incredible improvement and solid rounds by Moon and Brown, the only senior who posted a score for Beaver on Wednesday. Crum, Moon, Williams and Kale McWilliams, who posted a non-counting +37, are all juniors.
“Most of these girls next year will be seniors and are really hoping to four-peat,” she said. “So I am sure the pressure is going to really hit us. But you know, pressure is a privilege.”
Gardner said she allows anyone who wants to be on the golf team be on the golf team, which is why she carries 20 players.
“We don’t cut, because we feel like everyone should learn to play the game, and just try to grow and expand themselves. Everyone deserves to play golf,” she said.
Waterford and American Heritage tied for fourth, while North Sevier placed sixth.
Individually, South Sevier’s Mylie Miller placed third, while Waterford’s Kaycee Kim was fourth. Brown, Beaver’s lone senior starter, tied for fifth with teammate Moon and Abby Gough of Saint Joseph.
“It is unreal,” said Brown. “I didn’t expect a three-peat, but it feels really, really good. I am really proud of us. … We came in with no pressure, and just ready to play, and got great results. It is awesome.”
Said Gardner, who is building a dynasty at the 2A level: “The reason we do so well is we have a lot of depth, and we have small greens (at Canyon Breeze), and the kids learn how to really develop their short game there. We have had some good players come out of that golf course.”
As for Crum’s big day, Gardner said it is amazing what the junior can do when she concentrates.
“Brittni is such a fun little hyper individual, and I think today she just actually focused, to be so honest with you,” Gardner said. “I think she can always play this good all the time, but she has to keep her mind on the game. Right, sis?”
Wednesday, she was right as rain — and there was a lot of it.
Class 2A state tournament
At The Ridge Golf Club
Final Team scores
1. Beaver, 357
2. South Sevier, 380
3. Rowland Hall, 393
4. Waterford, 404
5. American Heritage, 404
6. North Sevier, 424
7. St. Joseph, 430
8. Millard
Final individual results (Top 20)
- 81 — Brittni Crum, Beaver
- 84 — Kate Weissman, Rowland Hall
- 86 — Mylie Miller, South Sevier
- 89 — Kaycee Kim, Waterford
- 91 — Gentry Brown, Beaver
- 91 — Abby Gough, Saint Joseph
- 91 — Sunnie Moon, Beaver
- 93 — Camryn Woodley, American Heritage
- 94 — Mone Williams, Beaver
- 95 — Liz Randall, Saint Joseph
- 95 — Saige Anderson, South Sevier
- 98 — Anna Eggertsen, American Heritage
- 99 — Ava Shaw, North Sevier
- 99 — Breylan Okerlund, South Sevier
- 100 — Sophia Cohen, Waterford
- 100 — Paislie Mason, South Sevier
- 100 — Kylie Jackson, Millard
- 101 — Jade Kerby, Grand County
- 103 — Frances Hodson, Rowland Hall
- 103 — Sophie Allred, American Heritage
- 103 — Tori Somerville, Rowland Hall
- 103 — Lila Bates, Rowland Hall