DiGrazia’s strategy pays off

Ann Bandolik tees off on the fourth hole Wednesday in the McHenry County Junior Golf Association Marengo Ridge Open. Bandolik won the senior girls division. (Lauren M. Anderson – landerson@nwherald.com)

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MARENGO – Last week, Michael DiGrazia remarked that he never had played well at Marengo Ridge, the site of Wednesday’s McHenry County Junior Golf Association Marengo Ridge Open.

DiGrazia, however, had a plan and used it to shoot a 6-over-par 78 to win the senior boys division by one shot over Mason Wicks and two shots over Jarrett Kinney, Paul Damiani and Riley Lindholm.

“It was all strategy today and not hitting driver all day. I think I hit it twice and I didn’t do well on those holes,” DiGrazia said. “I stuck to my strategy of hitting 4-iron off the tee.”

However, DiGrazia was not so pleased with his score.

“It’s kind of a disappointing 78. I left a lot of strokes out there, but I’ll take it to come in first,” DiGrazia said.

In the senior girls division, Ann Bandolik shot a 7-over 43 to win by two shots over Danielle Roulo to capture her first MCJGA title of the season. Bandolik said a couple of early adjustments put her game on the right track.

“I started out solid, good first hole. [My] short game was a bit of a trouble starting off, getting used to those greens, really fast, really quick,” Bandolik said. “Once I got adjusted after those first two holes, I was really back into the swing of thinking solid drives. I started to be on key again.”

Bandolik added that she was happy to finally play well on the right day.

“It’s the best I’ve done this season at the MCJGA because the last few weeks have been a shame since I have been playing so well except for those days,” Bandolik said. “I had been shooting below 40, and then when I come out here [not play as well] so it is nice to finally show it out here.”

The junior boys division came down to a playoff between Noah Radwanski and Ethan Farham, who each shot 5-over 77 for their round with Radwanski winning on the second playoff hole. Hunter Simonini finished three shots back.

The junior girls division was won for the fourth time in five events by Larisa Luloff, who shot a 14-over 50 to win by eight shots over Bailey Bostler, who is the only other junior girls’ winner this season.

The MCJGA heads to Boone Creek in McHenry next week for the two-day Billy Vahldieck McHenry County Junior Amateur on Tuesday and Wednesday.