Columbia River’s Chloe Bartek is Columbian’s All-Region girls golfer

As she approached the final nine holes of her high school golf career, Chloe Bartek had little to worry about.

The Columbia River senior led the Class 3A state tournament by seven strokes. The angst she felt before the tournament, when she worried about disappointing others, was behind her.

She was cruising to the championship that she so desperately wanted.

Sesca Jouwsma, Woodland: Class 1A district runner-up, ninth at Class 1A state tournament.

Bridget Standard, Fort Vancouver: Placed third at district and 18th at 3A state tournament.

Jamie Stilwell, Prairie: Class 3A district runner-up and placed 12th at state.

Kelsey Whiles, Hockinson: First-team 2A GSHL, placed fifth at 2A state tournament.

Clarisa Witherup, Mountain View: Placed fifth at 3A district and 12th at 3A state tournament.

Reilly Whitlock, Union: Class 4A district runner-up, placed 17th at 4A state tournament

Then she found the trees twice on the 10th fairway at Lewis River Golf Course and a seven-stroke lead shrunk to five. For a golfer who admits that negative thoughts have a habit of popping into her head at inopportune times, this was an unwelcome glitch.

“I wasn’t really freaking out,” she said. “I was just thinking, ‘What are you doing?’ I honestly had no idea what was happening.”

In previous seasons, a double-bogey might have led Bartek to further unravel. Not this time. She rediscovered her stroke on the next hole and closed out her career with her first state title.

For that accomplishment, Bartek is The Columbian’s girls golfer of the year for a third consecutive spring.

The best girls golfer in Southwest Washington for most of her high school career, it was experienced gained at several big tournaments last summer that turned her into a champion.

Her 2012 summer included winning the Portland City/Bob Allard Memorial junior amateur tournament, playing in the U.S. Girls Championships and golfing for Oregon’s team at the Girls Junior America’s Cup.

Playing in big tournaments on challenging courses last summer also gave Bartek a confidence boost, according to Steve Schadewitz, who has coached Bartek since her father, Len, first took Bartek to Westside Golf Range more than six years ago.

“I saw potential right away,” Schadewitz said, recalling that Bartek demonstrated strength and a “natural athletic golf swing.”

“I tell her she shouldn’t worry so much and just go play golf and let her actions speak for her,” he said.

A state title says it all.

“I really would have disappointed myself if I didn’t win (state) this year,” she said.

Season highlights

• Won the Class 3A girls golf state tournament, beating defending champion Sierra Bezdicek of Mount Spokane High School be seven strokes.
• Shot personal-best competition rounds of 3-under-par-70 at Lewis River Golf Course in both the district and state tournaments.
• Won her third consecutive district title — by 19 strokes. Advanced to state all four years of high school.

More about Chloe

• Favorite TV shows: “Psych”, “Risolli and Isles” and “Hawaii Five-0.”
• Chloe swam and played volleyball and soccer before taking up golf while in middle school and choosing to focus on one sport.
• Has a head cover for her driver that looks like her first dog, “Rusty.”
• Steve Schadewitz, her longtime coach, said the transition to college golf should be smooth.

Next year and beyond

Accepted a scholarship to play golf at Sacramento State. She had offers from a variety of colleges, but found Sac State was the best fit because of Hornets’ chances to make it to the NCAA Tournament. She would love to make golf a career after college.

“You have your bad days when you think ‘why did I decide to play this sport?’ Because there’s a new day the next day and you can play better — that’s why you picked it.”

Chloe Bartek

On why she loves golf.