Katie Walsh is getting used to making trips to the golf course at SUNY-Delhi in June, with serious work in mind.
For the third year in a row, Walsh is bound for Delhi and the New York State Public High School Athletic Association tournament after her tie for sixth place in Tuesday’s Section III championships at Kanon Valley Country Club.
This was the second consecutive sectional tournament staged at Kanon Valley, and conditions this time around were cooler and more comfortable, with sunshine throughout the morning round and a modest breeze – a stark contrast to all the cold, wet conditions golfers had to face for much of the spring.
Walsh did not tear up the par-73 layout, but didn’t have to, either. With a round of 84, she shared sixth place with Jamesville-DeWitt’s Junghye Kim. The top nine finishers advance.
Auburn’s Larissa Carter repeated her sectional title from 2013, shooting a 75, two over par, to defeat New Hartford’s sensational seventh-grader, Sydney Bard, by two shots. Carter also helped Auburn to the team title with 338, easily clear of runner-up Fayetteville-Manlius (369) and the field.
As for Walsh’s B’ville teammates, Marisa Foriero shot a 94, missing out on the state championship cut by just five strokes as she tied for 15th place. Megan Foriero finished with a 112, while Jordyn Fofi posted a total of 131.
Now Walsh gets lots of time to practice, since the state tournament doesn’t start until June 14. Carter, Bard and Kim join her on the team, as does Carter’s Auburn teammate, Lindsay May, F-M golfers Alexandra Millimaci and Kenzie Kingsley, Kim’s J-D teammate, Molly Hair, and Cicero-North Syracuse’s Brianna Sovring.
A season ago, Walsh posted a pair of 82’s at SUNY-Delhi to finish at 164 and alone in 21st place. Carter finished third and is part of a veteran 2014 squad as Walsh, Carter, May, Hair and Sovring all return from last year’s tournament.
