Arnold’s long wait ends in playoff victory; Illini West ready to make next step to state tournament

MOUNT STERLING, Ill. — Liberty’s Blake Arnold waited for nearly an hour and a half to find out if a playoff was needed.

“I didn’t do much. Just sat around and talked. Maybe hit 10 putts (on the practice green in front of the clubhouse),” he said.

Arnold and Blake Deitrich of Illini West both shot 4-over 76s during Wednesday’s Class 1A regional at Rolling Greens, but they trailed Bushnell-Prairie City’s Dalton Strode by one stroke with two holes to play. Strode bogeyed both No. 8 and No. 9 to finish with a 77, and Arnold and Deitrich went to the par-4 18th hole to decide a champion.

Deitrich couldn’t get out of trouble when his tee shot went into tall fescue on the left side of the hole, but Arnold parred the hole to claim the title. 

Earlier in the day, Dietrich hit his driver on No. 18 into a greenside bunker and made four. Arnold hit a 4-iron off the tee and still made four. However, for the playoff, Arnold chose to hit driver at No. 18.

INDIVIDUAL SCORES

“We flipped the tee, and I was first,” Arnold said. “I knew par had a good chance to at least move on. I just chose to hit driver to put a little pressure on him. 

“If you think about it, we’re both going to make it the sectionals. His team was going to advance, and even if I lose a playoff, I get second. I’m still advancing. That’s all that really matters.”

Even in victory, Arnold wasn’t thrilled with his play. After playing the first four holes (he started on No. 10) in 1-under par, the junior had a double bogey and a bogey. He them missed a birdie putt on No. 16.

“I got up and down quite a bit of time, but I didn’t make very many putts because I didn’t give myself good opportunities to make putts,” he said. “If I just roll some putts next week, I’ll be fine.”

Strode finished in a third-place tie with Brown County’s Samuel Carr, both with 77s. Southeastern’s Nic Nanninga was fifth with a 79.

TEAM SCORES

Illini West cruised to the team title. The Chargers shot a 324, finishing 31 strokes ahead of Brown County. Payson Seymour was third with a 357, four strokes ahead of Liberty. The top three teams advance to the sectional at Shambolee Golf Course in Petersburg on Monday.

Illini West won its first regional in school history last year, giving attention to a golf program that has been overshadowed by the success of the school’s football and basketball teams for decades.

“When my son started as a freshman (five years ago), there were only a handful of golfers,” Chargers coach Christine Murphy said. “We didn’t even have enough golfers to have a team in some of the meets. It has been exciting to see the growth of the program. Now we have 14 (varsity players), and then we’ve started the junior high program. 

“Hopefully this momentum will carry us on, and we’ll see some good.”

Freshman Nick Bruns shot an 80, sophomore Colby Robertson shot an 81 and senior Brady Robertson shot an 87 for the Chargers.

Finishing in the top three at Petersburg would give Illini West its first state tournament berth in school history.

“Anything is possible,” Murphy said. “Last year, we placed fourth as a team, but there was no state tournament anyway. We were excited about that.

“You know, Brady Robertson shot a 47 on the front, and he came back and shot 39 on the back. He knows he left a few strokes out there, so I think our scores can continue to drop and we’ll hope we continue to play well.”

Deitrich didn’t think he played poorly, but he says he must limit mistakes to do well next week.

“I had a couple of penalty strokes and a couple of putts lip out,” he said. “I feel like I’m a good enough ball striker and have a good enough short game to get (to state).

“But the next step for us is to get to the state tournament.”