Julia Schlitt left no doubt at Dalhousie Golf Club on Thursday. The Jackson junior carded a nine-hole score of an even 36 — two shots clear of the field — to guarantee herself a first-place finish in the Notre Dame quad-meet.
Schlitt’s performance ignited Jackson’s runner-up finish (174), trailing first-place Notre Dame who scored a 170. Rounding out the final standings were third-place Poplar Bluff (204) and fourth-place Sikeston (247).
With the postseason creeping up, Schlitt’s individual win further cements her place as one of the premier golfers in Southeast Missouri.
“I feel like my game's pretty strong right now,” said Schlitt, who finished inside the top 30 at the 2023 Class 4 state tournament as a sophomore. “I’m hoping I can keep it up until districts.”
With hopes of competing at the college level in two years, Schlitt said that she is continuing to refine her game and credits the strides she’s made in her mental edge this offseason.
“I've really been working on my mental state,” she said. “Not getting mad after a hole knowing that I have a lot left. I've also been working a lot on my approach shots, and just getting it closer to the pin instead of being on one side of the grain and getting it 10 feet or so. That’s my strength right now.”
After posting another brilliant day on the course, Notre Dame junior Grayson Maurer finished two shots back, vaulting herself to second place.
Maurer said one of her main goals entering the day was to continue playing at a consistent level and finish in the top three.
“My two goals were to win as a team and finish top three,” said Maurer, who placed fourth at the Class 3 District 1 tournament last season. “I’m happy with it. We're looking to do something big at the end of the year, and this win over Jackson was a good step to doing that. It's been a good few weeks for us.”
Teammate and Lady Bulldog senior Silvia Schallberger picked a good day to have a good day, as well. Her final score of 41 handed her a third-place finish on Notre Dame’s Senior Night.
Notre Dame will take a trip to St. Louis next Tuesday, Oct. 1 for the Angel’s Classic tournament. Jackson returns to the course next Tuesday, Oct. 1 for the St. Joseph’s Academy Angel Classic in Maryland Heights. Poplar Bluff will tee off at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 2 against West Plains, while Sikeston will take on Valle Catholic on Monday, Sept. 30 at 3:30 p.m.
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