Lydic sisters in contention at golf state tournament
DOVER — Sarah Lydic was a little annoyed with herself after taking a double bogey on 12.
Hannah Lydic, on the other hand, was feeling pretty good after carding a 33 on the back nine on …
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Lydic sisters in contention at golf state tournament
By Andy WalterDOVER — Sarah Lydic was a little annoyed with herself after taking a double bogey on 12.
Hannah Lydic, on the other hand, was feeling pretty good after carding a 33 on the back nine on Tuesday.
Then again, Hannah — the older of the two Sussex Academy sisters — said she always tries to leave the course with a smile on her face.
“My mantra is to play happy golf,” said Hannah. “That’s me. If I’m not having fun, then why are you out there?”
However they looked at their rounds, though, both Lydic sisters had reason to feel good about their opening rounds as the DIAA golf state championships got started on Tuesday.
Only a freshman, Sarah Lydic was tied for the lead after firing a two-under-par 70 while Hannah was tied for fourth with a 73 in the two-day, 36-hole tournament being played at Maple Dale Country Club.
The tourney concludes on Wednesday with the first golfers teeing off at 8 a.m.
Tower Hill eighth-grader Avery McCrery is also tied for the lead with a 70 while Tatnall sophomore Jeff Homer is in third with a 71.
In the team standings, four-time defending champion Tower Hill is in first place with a four-player total of 299. Tatnall is second at 312 while Sussex Academy is third with a 317.
Both Lydic sisters were at their best over what is normally the back nine at Maple Dale. Sarah, who started her round on the 10th hole, carded a 34 before Hannah scored a 33 on that stretch.
Sarah finished with five birdies. She was three-under par after 11 holes before taking a double bogey five on Maple Dale’s par-three No. 3.
“You always have regret in your round,” said the Ocean View resident. “That’s really what’s making me think about it. That, and a few other holes. My chips were not that great. Most of the holes I got to the greens in regulation but the ones I didn’t, I didn’t get up and down.
“I was happy on the front nine,” said Lydic. “I think I’m doing pretty good. Tomorrow is another day.”
Hannah’s round was just the opposite. After a tough front nine, in which she had four bogeys in five holes, she played the back nine at three-under par.
Lydic said about halfway through her round she realized she was aiming too far right.
Of course, the biggest thing about Tuesday’s round was just not playing yourself out of contention.
“You’ve just got to post a good score and get after it tomorrow,” said Hannah, a junior. “I feel good.
“Normally, I don’t look at scores and I probably won’t — just the people in my group. It’s like your own little group of brothers and sisters you’re playing against. And you want to beat them, because they’re the top-level players.”
As for her actual sister, Hannah said she was proud of Sarah’s opening round.
“She killed it today,” Hannah said. “I’m so happy for her.”
With eighth-grader Sawyer Brockstedt tied for 10th with a 77, Sussex Academy’s three top players are all in the top 10.
In today’s final round, only the low three individual scores count towards each team’s total.
Last week, the Lydics tied for the individual title in the Henlopen Conference tournament. Sarah then won it on a playoff hole.
Today they’ll have a chance to play for something even bigger. Female players have won the last four individual state titles.
“The little team from the south, they’re like, ‘What? Who are these people?’” Hannah joked. “There’s no pressure at all.”
