Walker headed to state tournament

Radnor sophomore Brynn Walker has emerged as the top female scholastic golfer in Delco and she reached Heritage Hills Golf Club as a freshman a year ago.

Both are headed for York County next week, Soeth for the first time and Walker for the second year in a row, following strong showings in the PIAA East Region Tournament on a sun-splashed day at Golden Oaks Golf Club Tuesday.

Walker wobbled on a closing stretch of the front nine, going bogey, double bogey, double bogey and stood at 6-over with nine holes to play. She then proceeded to rip off six pars and three birdies the rest of the way to finish with a 3-over 75 over a Golden Oaks course that measured 5,502 yards for the girls to finish in a tie for fourth place in Class AAA.

Walker, who finished in a tie for seventh at Heritage Hills and helped the Radnor girls win the Class AAA state team title a year ago, started on the 18th hole and was cruising along at 1-over when she three-putted the sixth for a bogey, three-putted the seventh for a double bogey and then made a double bogey at the eighth. Walker, winner of the Pennsylvania Junior Tournament last summer, was probably never in real danger of not qualifying for states, but she didn’t want to take any chances.

“I had to really pick myself up there,’ Walker said. “I had a couple of bad holes, but I knew I had it in me to be able to turn it around.’

After missing a short birdie try at the par-3 ninth, Walker watched her 30-foot putt at the par-4 10th dive in the cup for a much-needed birdie.

“That gave me a little confidence boost, a nice jolt,’ Walker said, “especially after I missed that easy putt on nine. I really had a lot of birdie chances all day.’

Walker dropped in a 13-foot birdie putt on the par-4 12th and an eight-footer for birdie at the par-3 15th. She just missed legitimate birdie tries on her last two holes, 16 and 17.

Walker finished three shots back of regional champion Erica Herr, the Council Rock North senior who heads to Heritage Hills looking for a third straight state title.

“I pulled it together and now I’m going states and I cannot wait to get there,’ Walker said. “I really like it there. I’m playing good this year, so we’ll just go up there and see what happens.’