High school girls golf: Woods Cross repeats as 5A state champions; Brighton’s Claire Olafsson wins medalist honors

Despite being the defending 5A state girls golf champions, Woods Cross wasn’t feeling pressure heading into the deciding day of the state tournament.

After Skyline won the Region 6 championship, with the Wildcats finishing in third place, the Eagles were the favorites entering the state tournament, making the defending champions feel like the underdogs.

Of course, Woods Cross had a target on its back to open the season, but as the campaign went along and Skyline emerged as the team to beat, the Wildcats were able to embrace that underdog role and let it fuel them.

“Just kind of believing that we weren’t expected to win. We were kind of the underdogs and like it’s Skyline’s title to lose and it’s our title to win. So we just needed to make an impact and decide that we wanted it more than they did,” said Tess Poulsen, who led Woods Cross with a 1-under performance over the two-day championship.

Photo Gallery: 1 of 29

1 of 29

Photo Gallery: 2 of 29

2 of 29

Photo Gallery: 3 of 29

3 of 29

Photo Gallery: 4 of 29

4 of 29

Photo Gallery: 5 of 29

5 of 29

Photo Gallery: 6 of 29

6 of 29

Photo Gallery: 7 of 29

7 of 29

Photo Gallery: 8 of 29

8 of 29

Photo Gallery: 9 of 29

9 of 29

Photo Gallery: 10 of 29

10 of 29

Photo Gallery: 11 of 29

11 of 29

Photo Gallery: 12 of 29

12 of 29

Photo Gallery: 13 of 29

13 of 29

Photo Gallery: 14 of 29

14 of 29

Photo Gallery: 15 of 29

15 of 29

Photo Gallery: 16 of 29

16 of 29

Photo Gallery: 17 of 29

17 of 29

Photo Gallery: 18 of 29

18 of 29

Photo Gallery: 19 of 29

19 of 29

Photo Gallery: 20 of 29

20 of 29

Photo Gallery: 21 of 29

21 of 29

Photo Gallery: 22 of 29

22 of 29

Photo Gallery: 23 of 29

23 of 29

Photo Gallery: 24 of 29

24 of 29

Photo Gallery: 25 of 29

25 of 29

Photo Gallery: 26 of 29

26 of 29

Photo Gallery: 27 of 29

27 of 29

Photo Gallery: 28 of 29

28 of 29

Photo Gallery: 29 of 29

29 of 29

Poulsen tied with Brighton’s Catherine Cook for second-place individual honors and two of her teammates, Vivian Oaks (6-over) and Makenzie Pearson (21-over) finished in the top 10. Two others, Rachel Wright (29-over) and Esme Cahoon (34-over) placed in the top 30, with Poulsen, Oaks, Pearson and Wright counting towards Woods Cross’ 55-over team score.

“Our one through three all year long were consistent. They were the ones that would show up, they would give us the scoring. The depth that you’re talking about. Our players — really, like, three through 10 — we kind of were relying on many of them throughout the season,” said Woods Cross head coach Brandon Pearson.

Entering the final day of the championship, it was a tight race between the Wildcats and Eagles. Woods Cross held a narrow two-stroke lead after a 314 opening round, and throughout Tuesday, the two leading teams were neck and neck. A strong back-nine performance by the Wildcats lifted them to a 10-stroke win over the Eagles.

“On the first day, I thought I was about to pass out when when I walked up and I saw the scoreboard. But, second day when we walked in, I knew we were only two strokes apart and so anything could change on a dime and so it was just a fun day,” Poulsen said. “I guess it was close. I didn’t really know where we were at the whole time so it was just play good, I guess.”

Pearson’s message to the group before the pivotal second day was simple — don’t let your nerves get the best of you.

“This morning, the message was, ‘our role is the underdog.’ Skyline had beaten us quite a bit throughout our regular region play all year long and we knew that they had the talent, the skill, the depth there to pull this off,” Pearson said. “And so for us it was, ‘let’s let them feel the pressure by being the quote unquote favorites and let’s come in and just play golf and stick to our game plan.’”

After winning its first-ever girls golf state championship a season ago, the Wildcats stayed on top with a great Tuesday round.

The individual medal race was close, coming down to the final hole.

Brighton’s Claire Olafsson overcame a double bogey on No. 11, birdieing No. 14 and No. 18 to edge out Poulsen and teammate Cook for the top spot. Poulsen had the lead heading onto No. 18 after birdieing No. 16 and No. 17, but shot a bogey on the final hole.

Olafsson shot four birdies during Tuesday’s round, and her 170-yard drive on the final hole ended up making all the difference.

“I think just being able to forget what happened in the past, forget my four-putt and all the bad things, just focus on my next shot. As for 18, that was probably the two scariest shots of my life and I was just trying to swing my swing and do what I knew was right,” Olafsson said.

5A State Tournament

At Riverbend Golf Course, Riverton

Final Team Scores

• 631 — Woods Cross (314-317)
• 641 — Skyline (316-325)
• 647 — Brighton (326-321)
• 654 — Bonneville (331-323)
• 712 — Box Elder (357-355)
• 716 — Springville (369-347)
• 727 — Wasatch (358-369)
• 732 — Maple Mountain (369-363)
• 738 — West Field (367-371)
• 773 — Cyprus (378-395)

Top Individual Scores (Par-72)

• 142 (-2) — Claire Olafsson, Brighton
• 143 (-1) — Tess Poulsen, Woods Cross; Catherine Cook, Brighton
• 146 — Whitni Johnson, Bonneville
• 150 — Vivian Oaks, Woods Cross
• 151 — Anushka Rajeev, Skyline
• 152 — Navy Hubbs, Salem Hills
• 155 — Tristyn Green, Skyline
• 160 — Cambria Ohlson, Bountiful
• 165 — Makenzie Pearson, Woods Cross; India Colarusso, Skyline