A good day for kite-flying equals a bad day for golf

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SPRING VALLEY — Apparently Mother Nature is not a big fan of golf.

Playing in winds that gusted up to 25 miles per hour at times, golfers from Hall and St. Bede battled through conditions that were more suited for the game’s roots in Scotland than north central Illinois during Monday’s quadrangular meet with LaSalle-Peru and Serena at Spring Creek Golf Course. And their scorecards reflected it.

Neither Bureau County school had a player shoot 40 or below over nine holes as golfers battled through weather conditions that caused many to be proud to card a bogey on a hole.

“This is one of those rounds where you can’t go out there with maybe as high of expectations as you normally would,” Hall golf coach Tom Bauer said. “You have to grind it. Everybody is going to have bad holes and you’re going to have these holes with the wind. It’s a lot more difficult to play, so, although you always want to shoot your best, your expectations have to be a little bit lower and you have to let a little more roll off yourself during the round.”        

In the midst of the kite-flying weather, Hall’s Nick Rounds fired a 5-over-par 42 and teammate Ben Dagraedt added a 7-over 44 as the Red Devils (184) topped La Salle-Peru (188) and St. Bede (192) for the team title.

“I was extremely happy with our score,” Bauer said. “A 184, you don’t think it’s that great, but in these conditions on the back nine, which was the higher par, it’s pretty good. We shot the same thing last week in nice weather on the back nine, so I thought it was good and might be good preparation for some bad conditions later in the year.”

Rounds fought through the adverse weather conditions and was even able to find a birdie on the course, but, playing down-wind on the par-5 Hole No. 17, he had a double-bogey that ultimately caused him to finish runner-up to L-P’s Nick Mertes, who shot a medalist 41.
           
“It was tough conditions all day,” Rounds said. “I had some really good shots for the conditions and I hit some bad shots. My drives were getting me in trouble today. Overall, I’m not too happy with it.”

Dagraedt supplemented Rounds’ day with the 44, which was the third lowest score of the meet. Ethan Brandner added a 48 and Dean Colmone a 50 for Hall’s scoring players.

“Ben Dagraedt I was extremely happy with tonight,” Bauer said. “A 44 in those conditions is the kind of golf we need from him the rest of the year, especially on a tough night like tonight. It’s only 7-over par and that’s really good. I’m really pleased with that.”

St. Bede’s Garrett Fouth was low man for the Bruins and his 45 was the fourth best score overall. He finished with four pars but struggled out of the gate.

Starting on Hole No. 10, Fouth played the first four holes at 6-over par, but settled down and played the final five holes at 2-over for the 8-over 45.

“I had a rough (Hole No.) 10 to start off the day, but I got it going for a little stretch and had some pars,” Fouth said. “I could’ve done a little better, but I guess a 45 is not too bad.”

Chris Fernandez turned in a 47 to for St. Bede’s second lowest score, while Alex Harrison was one stroke off with a 48. Adam Sickley’s 52 rounded out St. Bede’s scoring players.

“It’s the first time this year that they’ve really faced any adverse weather,” St. Bede golf coach Rich Cummings said. “They weather has been great this year, but you’ve got to play through. It’s windy for everybody.”