Healthy Anderberg off to fast start

Blake Stezskal (right) tees off on the fifth hole as competitors Brendon Knaizer (left) and Evan Mass look on during the McHenry County Junior Golf Association's Chapel Hill Open on Wednesday in McHenry. (Lauren M. Anderson - landerson@nwherald.com)

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McHENRY – Katlyn Anderberg’s high school golf career at Huntley didn’t end the way she had envisioned, or with her in perfect health for that matter.

Although Anderberg made it to the IHSA sectionals, she did so with a broken hand, an injury that occurred three days before regional play when she was struck by a teammate’s stray shot.

Anderberg’s hand has healed, and Wednesday at the McHenry County Junior Golf Association’s Chapel Hill Open, she continued her strong June play with her second consecutive MCJGA win to start the summer season. She shot a 6-over-par 41 to win the nine-hole senior girls division by 11 shots over former Huntley teammate Samantha Wightman.

Anderberg said that she is trying to get her game back up to a competitive level.

“I didn‘t play very well, but I stuck it out. Forty-one is not horrible, but it‘s not great,” Anderberg said. “I wasn’t playing well at the end of the high school season because of my hand, but everything is falling back into place really well, and I’m happy with it.”

In the 18-hole senior boys division, Woodstock’s Jamie Hagen shot a 7-over 77 to win by three shots over Anthony Basile. Hagen started his round on the back nine, shooting only two over on that side before coming home with a five-over front side. Hagen said that his short game did him well on the day.

“I started off with a par and made a lot of up and downs, putted well,” Hagen said. “I didn’t hit a lot of good irons, but my chipping was great. I did well around the green.”

The junior girls division was won for the second consecutive week by Marian Central’s Samantha Leicht. She shot a 49 to win by two shots over Claire Castetter. Leicht said the biggest key to her win was her putting, including one putt in particular at the end of the round.

“I made a putt from the fringe on the 18th, probably around 20 feet,” Leicht said. “My putting kept me going.”

The junior boys division was won by Cary’s Patrick Biewald, who shot an 82 to win by one shot over Mickey Evans Jr. and Anthony Mertz. Biewald said it was a productive day on the course.

“It was a pretty solid round,” Biewald said. “My drives were straight, and everything was clicking.”

The MCJGA moves to McHenry Country Club on Monday for the McHenry Open.