If not for the trees on number 10 at Quail Run golf course in Columbus, Brooke Hager may have threatened for a top ten spot at the state class C tournament. But 18th on the leaderboard out of almost 100 golfers and one of the few sophomores to finish in the top 25--that will do nicely.

“She played some good golf,” reported coach Aaron Delhay. “She played well under pressure.”

Hager had birdied the 10th hole on Monday.

After completing the first day with a solid 93, riding the birdie and several nice pars, there was plenty of pressure lurking for the young Longhorns golfer. In addition to the setting--and the trees on number 10--she found her way into a wicked bunker guarding the final hole. It took four strokes to recover.

“She might have been 93-93,” Delhay said. A 186 would have placed her well into the medal positions.

Instead, she wrapped up a still very impressive 93-98 state tournament tied for 18th with Breann Thorberg of Boone Central.

Throughout the two-day event, her iron shots were solid, particularly from 100 yards in. Hager made few mistakes on the green, holing every close putt and generally playing  with remarkable consistency.

Hager had been one of Kimball’s top two golfers in almost every tournament this season. But her she seemed to pick up steam toward the end, breaking into the 90s and then tallying an 85 at districts.

“Overall I’m really pleased,” Delhay said. “She’s already looking forward to next year--and I have her for two more years.”