State champs! Record day lifts Lexington golf to state title
The Lexington High School girls golf team is back on top of Class 5A after a one-year absence.
The Wildcats turned in a record-setting effort Tuesday to win the state championship by 32 shots over Blythewood at the Country Club of Lexington.
Lexington finished with a state-record score of 578 for the tournament, two shots better than the previous mark set by the Wildcats in 2013.
It was the school’s 14th girls golf state championship in 17 years, which adds to the S.C. record and comes after the Wildcats finished runner-up last season to Blythewood.
“I thought we were one of the five or six best to ever play in the state,” Lexington coach Brandon Smith said. “And we proved it today.”
Lexington led by 11 shots after the first day but shot 5-under par Tuesday to pull away from the field.
Junior Molly Hardwick was the individual champion after shooting a 7-under 137, which was one stroke off former Lexington standout and current LPGA professional Lauren Stephenson’s 136 in 2014. Stephenson was at the course on Monday and Tuesday watching her alma mater play.
Stephenson’s record as broken later in the day by Oceanside Collegiate’s Emma Schmipf, who shot a 133 in the Class 3A championship.
It was Hardwick’s final tournament at Lexington, as her family is moving to Tennessee after the season.
“I wasn’t worried about my overall score. I was wanting to help my team win,” she said. “I got off to a great start and felt really calm and confident. I knew my teammates were playing, well which was an added boost of confidence.”
Clemson commit Isabella Rawl was second after shooting a 68 and finishing at 4 under. Karlee Vardas (+2) was sixth. Vardas, the final Lexington player to finish, was emotional after sinking her final putt Tuesday for birdie on No. 18.
“It was a little emotional, everybody knowing it was our last as a group,” Hardwick said.
Lexington’s Emily Beiers (+10) tied for 10th to earn all-state honors. The top 10 golfers earn all-state honors.
Blythewood’s Paige Paolucci (-1) finished second and was all-state for the second straight year. Ella Stalvey (+5) tied for eighth. The Bengals should be a factor next year with no seniors on the roster.
This is the second team championship held this fall during the COVID-19 pandemic after swimming’s finals took place earlier this month.
“It is bittersweet. Two years ago, we won and we knew everyone would be back,” Smith said. “It is kind of the end of the run with this group, but we will regroup. I said a long time ago, it doesn’t matter who the players or the coach is. We are Lexington and we expect to play at a high quality.”
This story was originally published October 27, 2020 at 5:07 PM.
