Choi, Mullen grab 1sts
Sofia Choi wins 4A Region 2; Kaitlin Zingler 2nd; and Mullen wins first regional team title since 2005; 4A tourney is next.
The 2021 season was delayed, there was no season a year ago because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the lateness of this new Season D has girls golf into an unprecedented period into the second part of June.
No matter.
Mullen has been resilient and it showed again on Monday as the Mustangs took the top two places individually as well as their first team title in 16 years at Overland Park Golf Course. Behind champion Sofia Choi and runner-up Kaitlin Zingler, Mullen outdistanced 11 other teams in Class 4A Region 2.
The Mustangs will bring a four-player team into the 4A Colorado tournament June 21-22 at CommonGround G.C. in Aurora.
“They did well today, absolutely,” head coach Kate Walker said. “The girls have really come on strong at the end of the season. It was such an inconsistent season with the bad weather … having the constant breaks, too, the end of the school year and finals (completed), maybe it helped them focus on one thing.”
On a warm, cloudy Monday at a course established in 1895, Mullen grabbed control early and kept it.
Choi shot a 2-over-par 74, going 5-over 41 on the front and 3-under 33 on the back. She birdied four-of-five holes to open the second nine and run away from the field.
“I got off to a rough start,” she said. “But then I made a bunch of birdies. I’m feeling good about my game.”
While it was Mullen’s first regional team title since 2005, the last season the program won the state tournament, it was Choi’s second medalist finish in a regional. She won at Adobe Creek National G.C. in Fruita as a freshman in 2019.
In all, she carded six birdies.
Zingler, a sophomore, has adapted nicely to the schoolgirl level and was two back of Choi at 76. She, too, began slowly with 41 on the front, but came home in 1-under 35, including two birdies
“I played pretty well after a tough front nine,” she said. “I definitely got momentum after the start of the season and shot 5-under (at Aurora Hills G.C.), which was pretty cool … overall, our team did very well.”
Elle Deorio shot 109 to tie for 27th and Hannah Giacomin made 112 for 30th.
At Overland Park G.C.
Par 72
Team scores – Mullen 259; Denver North 272; Golden 289; The Classical Academy 302; Dakota Ridge 305; Littleton 312; Falcon 332; George Washington 339; Standley Lake 344; Denver South 349; Sand Creek 380; D’Evelyn no score.
Mullen finishers – 1. Sofia Choi 74; 2. Kaitlin Zingler 76; 27 (tie) Elle Deorio 109;m30. Hannah Giacomin 112.
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