Cougars Crowned: O’Neal’s career-best round leads G-C to title

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Eastern Hancocks Jocelyn Duncan hits a shot at the Girls County Championship at Hawks Tail of Greenfield on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019. (Tom Russo | Daily Reporter)

GREENFIELD — Tandess O’Neal took advantage of a long weekend.

“From Friday to Monday, I played 36 holes and it helped calm my nerves and I had confidence in my game,” the Greenfield-Central junior said.

She shot a career-best three-over-par 39 on Tuesday at Hawk’s Tail of Greenfield, leading the Cougars to the Hancock County Girls Golf Tournament title, ending a five-year run by New Palestine.

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O’Neal was playing as Greenfield-Central’s No. 3 golfer. Her previous best round was a 43.

“I told myself going in I wanted to have a good round. It’d been a long time since I had a good round,” O’Neal, who tied New Palestine’s Annaliese Fox for the best nine-hole score, said. “I wanted to be clear-minded and not get mad, just play golf.

“I had been struggling a lot with my putting and chipping, but I have started getting confidence in my all-around game.”

“She told me she played every day this weekend,” Greenfield-Central No. 1 player Caroline Gibson said. “I’m so proud of her and how she played today.”

Fox ended up beating O’Neal with a bogey on the first playoff hole (No. 1) for the individual title. The New Palestine senior beat Mt. Vernon’s Alaina Nugent in a playoff to win in 2018.

The team championship had already been decided. The Cougars shot a season-low 175.

An expected tight race for the title with Greenfield-Central, New Palestine and Mt. Vernon never materialized. Mt. Vernon finished second with a 189. New Palestine had a 192, while Eastern Hancock shot 213, 58 strokes better than its 2018 score.

“I forgot what it’s like to win this. It’s been awhile,” Greenfield-Central coach Russ Wiley, who couldn’t recall his team’s last county crown, said.

Mt. Vernon was the last team other than New Palestine to win the tournament. The Marauders won in 2013.

Nugent, Gibson and Mt. Vernon’s Meredith Johnson joined Fox and O’Neal on the all-county team. All three shot 41s. Gibson, O’Neal and Nugent were all-county golfers in 2018.

The trio was all playing the No. 1 spots for their teams. They played together on Tuesday, beginning their nine-hole rounds on hole No. 4.

“We all birdied the first hole. I knew it was going to be competitive,” Gibson said.

“Coach (Wiley) told us it had been at least seven years (since we won county). That’s crazy,” Gibson added. “To come in and beat (New Palestine) is huge.”

It was a strong effort all the way around for the Cougars. Haley Hoagland, an all-county performer a year ago, had a 45. Katie Curry rounded out the Greenfield-Central scoring with a 50, giving the Cougars four golfers in the top 10.

New Palestine’s Izzy Gray, another all-county player in 2018, shot a 46, placing seventh. Others combining for the Dragons team score were Zoe Nelson with a 53 and Megan Diller with a 54.

Haleigh Caveletto was low golfer for Eastern Hancock with a 47. Daly Pelger was also under 50 and finished in the top 10 with a 49.

Adding to the team score for the Royals were Jocelyn Duncan with a 54 and Shelby Jackson with a 63.

For Mt. Vernon, Mackenzie Miner had a 53 and Emily Rollo added a 54.

“It’s always been our goal (to win the tournament),” Wiley added. “(The 175) is our best, but hopefully it is not our best for the whole year.”

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Team scores

Greenfield-Central;175

Mt. Vernon;189

New Palestine;192

Eastern Hancock;213

All-Hancock County

Annaliese Fox, New Palestine;39*

Tandess O’Neal, Greenfield-Central;39

Caroline Gibson, Greenfield-Central;41

Alaina Nugent, Mt. Vernon;41

Meredith Johnson, Mt. Vernon;41

*won individual title on playoff hole

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