Westview's Melinee Udom had the 6A girls golf title square in her sights last year in the state tournament at Trysting Tree Golf Club in Corvallis.
The freshman had the lead with four holes left, but after two bogeys and having a birdie putt lip out on No. 18, she tied for second place, one stroke behind Jesuit's Kate Lee.
“Sometimes things just don't work out your way,” Udom said. “It's OK. After state, it prepped me mentally and it kind of motivated me to work even harder for my summer schedule, and for this season.”
After a successful summer that included a victory in the Girls Junior America's Cup – her first national win – and a top-20 finish in the IMG Academy Junior World Championship, Udom is back with a new outlook as a sophomore.
“I definitely think I've improved, especially mentally,” she said. “I put a lot of high expectations on last year. Expectations are great, but sometimes when you don't reach them, it's kind of draining to yourself. I'm just trying to have more fun this year, and I have.”
Udom has played in two Metro League matches this season, winning both. Last week, she shot a 2-over 73 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club to win by three strokes over Sunset senior Erica Kobayashi. Monday, she fired a 4-over 75 at Langdon Farms Golf Club to beat Kobayashi by one stroke.
Udom said it's nice to win, but her game “isn't 100 percent there” so far this season.
“I've kind of been in a slump lately,” she said. “I'm trying to get out of that slump. I do believe that my game is definitely trending. My iron game hasn't been real solid. I've been making some swing changes with my coach. I'm trying to be more consistent with that.
“The conditions haven't been really good the past two matches. Just trying to play with the weather rather than against the weather helps me mentally to score better.”
The 5-foot-3 Udom, a former competitive weightlifter, is one of the state's biggest hitters, pushing 300 yards off the tee. The next step in the evolution in her game is improving her approach shots.
“The power aspect of her game is what puts her in position to be able to create shots,” Westview coach Paul Gouldsbrough said. “Having consistent power and distance and accuracy is paying off. Now it's the finesse, the nuances of the game, to get her into scoring position, to just blow people away. That's where we're at.”
Fine-tuning her approach shots can elevate her to another level.
“I think it was costing me strokes last year,” she said. “I wasn't really able to convert a lot of birdies. I've been working a lot on putting and my approach shots lately.”
She will need steady play around the green to reel in a state title.
“She knew that her short game let her down last year,” Gouldsbrough said. “She shot par, which normally would be good enough. She knows she's got to focus on closing tournaments out when she gets the chance.”
Highlights from across the state:
Girls
Grants Pass shot a 355 to beat Sheldon by two strokes in a five-team match Monday at Rogue Valley Country Club. Grants Pass' Chloe Daywitt (78) was the medalist, ahead of teammate Jaylee Hix (80) and Roseburg's Lana Silvestri (80). … Dufur's Tygh Timinsky finished first in the Nels Nelson Invitational on Monday at Wildhorse Resort Golf Course at 8-over 80, five strokes ahead of La Grande's Natasha Lane. …
Lake Oswego dominated a Three Rivers League tournament Monday at Oswego Lake Country Club, shooting 324 to beat runner-up West Linn by 48 strokes. Lakers junior Hailey Lim was first at 2-under 69, followed by Lakeridge freshman Hannah Wendorf (73) and three other Lake Oswego golfers in Ansley Kang (81), Olivia Mygrant (85) and Alexis Zou (89). … McMinnville emerged on top in a Pacific Conference tournament Monday at Meriwether National Golf Club, outpointing Sherwood 376-405. Forest Grove's Trinity Johnson took first place at 9-over 82.
Boys
West Linn junior Cade McVicker recorded a 2-under 69 to win a Three Rivers League tournament Monday at Oswego Lake Country Club. Lake Oswego junior Drew Woolworth, the reigning 6A champion, shot 74 to tie for second place with Tigard's Jennings Oelke and Lakeridge's Rylan Smalley. … Blanchet Catholic shot a sizzling 306 to win the McKenzie Invitational on Monday at Tokatee Golf Club. Cavaliers seniors Facundo Zaror (74) and Joseph Beyer (75) finished 1-2, and freshmen Dominick Hauge (77) and Kaden Orizotti (80) placed fourth and sixth, respectively. Cascade placed second at 330. …
Prairie City's Sawyer Quinton and Baker's Elias Long each shot 1-under 71, but finished three strokes behind the winner, Cornac Meinshausen of Hanford (Wash.), in the Nels Nelson Invitational on Monday at Wildhorse Resort Golf Course. … Lincoln's Ethan Chang won a hotly contested Portland Interscholastic League tournament Monday at Rose City Golf Club with a 2-over 74, edging Benson's Ian Stocco by one stroke. Grant took first place at 336, holding off Lincoln (338). …
Corvallis placed four golfers in the top seven of a Mid-Willamette Conference tournament Monday at Spring Hill Golf Club to score 306, well ahead of runner-up Dallas (337). The Spartans' scorers were Chase Brown (74), Ben Boysen (75), Nick Swenson (77) and Derek Davis (80). Lebanon's Ryland Carroll shot an even-par 72 to beat Brown for medalist honors. … Canby freshman Connor Holden fired a 1-over 73 to win a Northwest Oregon Conference tournament Monday at Willamette Valley Country Club. Wilsonville's Michael Flaherty (75) and La Salle Prep's Jonas Caddell (77) were next. La Salle Prep (316) and Canby (318) topped the team scoring. …
Neah-Kah-Nie junior Greyson Lott finished at 1-under 71 in a 3A/2A/1A Special District 1 tournament Monday at Forest Hills Golf Course, winning by five strokes over Valley Catholic's Benny Zhu. Valley Catholic outscored Banks 324-331 for first place. … Bend edged Summit 341-342 to win the Wolfpack Invite on Monday at Rivers Edge Golf Course. Bend's Gustav Kristofferson and Summit's Bryce Grieb shared medalist honors at 7-over 79.
jerryu@osaa.org
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