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BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
MONTICELLO — Pioneer junior girls golfer Mia McKaig gutted it out at the Twin Lakes sectional to advance to the regional for the second straight year.
She shot an 86 at Tippecanoe Country Club on Monday and had one of the three lowest scores among individuals on non-advancing teams. Only seven players in the field of 55 had a lower score.
McKaig said she played a practice round at Tippecanoe two days before the sectional and shot a 76.
“I don’t really know how to describe it,” McKaig said. “I did not do as well today as I thought I would. I was sick today. We got to Hole 10, and I thought I was going to throw up. I couldn’t do anything, so I really just feel proud that I kept going and powered through.”
McKaig was asked if she could be aggressive at Tippecanoe given the lack of hazards.
“I really feel like this isn’t a very hard course because the fairways are wide,” McKaig said. “My only problems today were putting. I hit so many good shots and had so many 10-foot putts, and I just didn’t make any of them. I think you can be very aggressive.”
McKaig will tee off at 9 a.m. Eastern on the front nine at Sandy Pines Golf Club in DeMotte for the regional.
McKaig was asked if making last year’s regional gave her confidence for this year. She built on her success this year, which included an 83 to win conference medalist honors at Round Barn Golf Club at Mill Creek on Sept. 14.
“I had a couple holes left, and I was going to be disappointed if I didn’t do better than last year,” McKaig said. “It kinda showed me that I could do it. I knew I could get better. I felt very confident that I would advance coming into today even though I was sick. This was about as worse as I could imagine myself feeling. That confidence came from last year and knowing I could do it again.”
She shot a 97 at the 2023 regional.
“I can’t wait to go because I know I can do better,” McKaig said. “I just can’t wait to go on Saturday. … I’m just glad I have another chance to improve on it.”
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