WOODLAND — It was another walk through the fairways to a district championship for Chloe Bartek on Tuesday.
This one, though, was a little extra special.
A senior from Columbia River, Bartek recorded a personal-best seven birdies in her 3-under-par 70 at Lewis River Golf Course, an exclamation mark to a phenomenal district career. Her two-day total of 142 — 4-under-par — was good enough for a 19-stroke victory and her third consecutive championship.
Her next high school golf tournament will be right back in Woodland. Lewis River is hosting the Class 3A state tournament May 21-22. Bartek is not concerned that she peaked this week.
“I’m just going to get more birdies. I made birdies in my practice round, I got some more during district, and I’m going to make more during state,” she said. “I’m not going to save anything.”
She has to be confident after the past two days.
Bartek held a nine-stroke lead after Monday’s opening round. Then she started Tuesday’s play with back-to-back birdies.
“That was special. I felt really good going into the round. I had my swing,” she said. “I read the lines, I knew the pace, and I hit them in. I wasn’t expecting birdie-birdie. I was like, ‘Bonus!’ “
Then she surprised herself on the 271-yard par-4 ninth by driving the green.
“That was a bonus, too. I didn’t think I could. I just hit it perfect. I nailed it,” Bartek said.
Her playing partners told her they thought her ball was on the green.
“I was like, ‘No.’ Then I saw it. ‘OK.'”
She ended up missing the eagle putt. Not that it mattered; nor did she care. A two-putt, tap-in birdie on a par 4 is certainly satisfying.
Prairie’s Jamie Stilwell finished second, finishing with an 80 after an 81 on Monday for a 161. Fort Vancouver freshman Bridget Standard took third at 173.
The top six finishers go directly to state, while the next eight will play in the bi-district tournament next week for one final chance to qualify for state.
Mountain View easily won the team title, scoring 208 points to top second-place Prairie at 116.
“That’s not really surprising,” said Mountain View’s Jenna’e Lecomte, adding she did not want to sound cocky. “But we’re a really solid team.”
The numbers back her up, too.
Lecomte came into the tournament as Mountain View’s No. 6 golfer. She ended up being the top player on the team this week, finishing fourth overall with a 174. The Thunder’s next five golfers placed fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth.
Clarisa Witherup and Rachel Kim rounded out the top six to get to state. Mountain View teammates Abby Kadrmas, Hunter Morales, and Ahreum Yang advanced to the bi-district.
It was Mountain View’s fourth consecutive district tournament team title.
Bartek just missed the individual four-peat. She finished third as a freshman. As a sophomore, she said she hoped to win three consecutive titles.
“I just buckled down and did it.”
Convincingly.
