Barnhill, Ellett win titles in playoffs

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McHENRY – A pair of playoffs decided the two senior division events Wedenesday at the McHenry County Junior Golf Association Chapel Hill Open.

On the boys side, Brent Barnhill (Woodstock) beat Nick Reuter (Crystal Lake South).

Both players shot a 4-over-par 76 for 18 holes and headed to the par-3 10th hole for a one-hole playoff.

However, on the first hole, both players landed their tee shots on the green and were able to two-putt for par.

The players replayed the 10th, but instead of hitting the green on their tee shots, both Barnhill’s and Reuter’s balls landed in greenside bunkers.

“I saw Nick’s ball was fried, and mine had a good lie in the sand,” Barnhill said.

Barnhill capitalized on his good lie by getting out of the sand on his first shot and sinking his second putt for a bogey and the win.

“I was able to keep it together in the playoff, and it feels good to get my first win,” Barnhill said.

The 10th hole was not only the stage for the playoff, but also for the shot of the day as Scottie Stalo (Crystal Lake South) made a hole-in-one.

“It felt perfect when I hit it, but I didn’t think it went in until we walked up to the hole and saw it in the hole,” Stalo said.

For the second consecutive week, Kaitlyn Anderberg (Huntley) was involved in a playoff. She faced Connie Ellett to determine the girls senior division winner.

Anderberg played Connie’s sister, Taylor, in a playoff last week at the Prairie Isle Open.

Anderberg and Connie Ellet both shot 4-over 41s for nine holes.

Ellett beat Anderberg on the fifth playoff hole to claim her first win in the MCJGA senior division.

“I knew after she didn’t hit the fairway with her drive that I needed to hit a good drive and go for the pin after that,” Connie Ellett said.

The second-place finish broke a streak of three consecutive victories in MCJGA events for Anderberg, who leads the season standings with 275 points.

“I’m glad Connie joined the senior division because it provides me with more competition and forces me to focus more on making good shots,” Anderberg said.

The boys junior division was won by Patrick Biewald, who shot a 10-over 72, and Samantha Leicht took first place in the girls junior division with a 13-over 48.