Lady Bruin golfers anxious to begin

Quality depth and young potential could add up to a solid, and possibly outstanding, campaign for the Bartlesville High girls golf team.

The Lady Bruins welcome back four proven veterans, led by seniors Emily Walker and Ashlea Loudermilk.

Junior Sarah Wilburn, who likely will be the No. 1 seed going into the season opener, and junior Macy Fitzgerald round out Bartlesville’s experienced mainstays.

Rounding out the squad are sophomore Hannah Spencer and a quartet of promising freshman linksters — Kendall Baughn, Abbe Ruckman, Alexis Quinn and Madison Pittman.

“I’m really pleased with all four freshmen,” said longtime Lady Bruin coach Terry Hughes. “There’s some potential there. It all depends on how much hard work they all put into it.”

Going into today’s questionable (due to weather) season opener at Owasso, Hughes said Wilburn would be his top seed followed by Walker at No. 2, Loudermilk in the three-spot and Fitzgerald as the fourth seed.

He was going to round out his five-team varsity squad with Baughn.

“All five (Spencer and the four freshmen) are kind of in a battle going into the season for that No. 5 spot,” Hughes explained.

Hughes said he’s anxious to see how this year’s team will fare in actual competition.

“There’s some potential there,” he said. “But, we’re still an unknown as to how we’ll perform in tournaments....I’m always optimistic, I always see the potential.

“My cautiousness this year is because we didn’t have as much participation in summer golf as usual. Summer is where we really make progress.”

Last year’s squad, which was led by Lindsay Peabody with a less-than-80-stroke average in tournament play, finished sixth in the state tournament.

Two players from the previous year, Katie Wilburn and Molly Moore, both are playing college golf. Wilburn produced a blockbuster season at Drury University while Moore is plying her skills at Oklahoma Baptist University.

Hughes said he’s still waiting to see who will assume the mantle of team leadership this season.

Overall, he said he’s looking forward to the campaign.

The Lady Bruins’ lone regular season action at home will be when they host their own tournament April 9.

Hughes also expressed gratitude to both Adams Municipal Golf Course and Hillcrest Country Club for opening up their facilities for high school practice.

“We always feel welcome by the members,” he added.