By Tim Wester
Sports Correspondent
A bad short game is one of the quickest ways to abruptly end a high school golf season.
But that wasn’t the case for the Union Grove boys golf team, which side-stepped its short game struggles to qualify for the WIAA Sectionals for the first time since 2007.
The Broncos punched their ticket to the Waukesha South Sectional Wednesday after finishing third at a WIAA Division 1 Regional at Edgewood Golf Course in Big Bend.
Tournament host Mukwonago won the event with a 306, while Kettle Moraine finished second with a 314, followed by the Grove with a 338.
“Advancing as a team was our goal, so obviously, we are happy about that,” Union Grove coach Eric Swanson said. “This was not only the first time we’ve advanced to sectionals as a team in 10 years, but this is also every member of our team’s first time at sectionals, so that is fun as well.”
“Our team score of 338 wasn’t bad considering the conditions, but overall we did not play great. Our short game was not nearly as good as it has been, and it’s going to have to be 100 percent next week.”
Bronco senior Eric Chambers had his own tale of short game woe that led to a disappointing sixth-place finish with a 78. Mukwonago’s Mason Schultz won the regional with a 70, which was four strokes better than Justin Meseberg of Burlington.
“Eric shot a 37 on the front, but missed a few birdie opportunities that would have put him really low,” Swanson said. “The back nine, as the weather worsened, led to him struggled with a six over par in the final six holes.”
Sophomore Connor Brown finished one stroke behind Chambers with an eighth-place 79.
“Connor had a good back nine, but struggled with his chipping that cost him a few strokes,” Swanson said.
Other Bronco finishers included junior Taylor Maxwell with an 87, senior Sam Letsch with a 94, and junior Nick Tracy with a 101.
“Taylor came through with a solid back nine to really help us out,” Swanson said.
The Broncos will need the whole team to come through next week at the always-challenging Nagawaukee Golf Course in Pewaukee.
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