GIRLS GOLF: Claremore advances to state; Oologah, Verdigris qualify individuals
On a day where every stroke carried postseason weight, local golfers battled through pressure-packed rounds Monday across Class 5A and 4A regional. In the end, Claremore punched its ticket to state, and several others fought to keep their seasons alive. At the Class 5A Regional at Oak Hills Golf & Country Club in Ada, the Lady Zebras placed fifth out of 11 teams with a 396, securing one of six qualifying spots for the state tournament.
Ada won the team title with a 347, while Tahlequah’s Kylie Fisher earned medalist honors with a 77. Claremore was led by Brooklyn Babbitt, who finished 13th with a 94, and Kate Merriman, who followed closely in 15th with a 95. Babbitt’s round was defined by resilience.
She opened steady with pars on Holes 1 and 2 before navigating a challenging stretch that included a double bogey on No. 4 and another on No. 6 and No.
8. Despite the setbacks, she stayed composed, mixing in pars on Holes 5 and later 17 to stabilize her round. On the back nine, Babbitt again showed consistency in the face of adversity.
While she carded multiple bogeys and double bogeys, she avoided any blow-up holes and closed with a bogey on 18 to finish with matching 47s on both sides for a 94. Merriman’s round followed a similar path but featured early flashes of control. After opening with a double bogey and bogey, she settled in with back-to-back pars on Holes 3 and 4, then added another par on No.