By RICHIE HALL
CARMEL – One of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the United States came to Woodland Country Club this week, and it turned into a showcase for two of Westfield’s best young golfers.
Gabriella Gilrowski and Jocelyn Bruch played the championship of the Women’s Western Junior, which finished up Thursday afternoon. Gilrowski won the final of the match-play round 2&1, placing her name on a roster of champions that includes some legendary names. Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez and two-time major champion Christie Kerr are among those to have won this event.
“I’ve worked really hard and I knew I was due for a win and it just happened to be this,” said Gilrowski. “I’m very excited.”
Gilrowski never trailed in the event. She took her first lead after making a birdie on the second hole. Bruch won the fourth hole to even up the match, then Gilrowski took the sixth hole to go 1 up for the second time.
Bruch’s birdie on hole No. 7 made the match all square again. But Gilrowski took over, winning the next three holes to go 3 up. That included a birdie on No. 9.
“Honestly, I think I played good,” said Gilrowski. “Obviously I drained a lot of putts today and that was my main goal. As I said earlier, I just want to keep making as many birdies as I can, especially in match play. To be able to put yourself in a position to make multiple birdies really gives you a good shot at winning, and I think that’s what I did today.”
Gilrowski, who will be a senior at Monte Verde Academy in Clermont, Fla. this fall, won the 14th hole to go 4 up. Bruch made a run late, winning the next two holes to get within 2 up. But Gilrowski clinched the match by winning the 17th hole.
“I was trying to give myself the same shots all day,” said Bruch. “I was just trying to hit it as close as I possibly could. My putter just wasn’t really getting hot. The last couple holes, I was like ‘Okay, you know what? No more putts short.’ I just have to try to make all of them.”
Still, it was a positive experience for Bruch, the defending IHSAA individual state champion and a senior-to-be at Westfield High School.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Bruch. She said making it to the final match was a “pretty big deal for me.”
In the morning semi-finals, Gilrowski needed 20 holes to upset the top seed, Brooke Biermann of Wildwood, Mo. The conditions were windy and rainy, but Gilrowski held on for the win, making a birdie on the 20th hole. Meanwhile, Bruch won her semi-final 3&2 over Nathaly Munnicha of Columbus, the third Indiana player to make the semi-finals.
With the win, Gilrowski earned an automatic exemption in the 119th Women’s Western Amateur Tournament, which takes place July 15-20 at Royal Melbourne Country Club in Long Grove, Ill.
Meanwhile, both girls will be back in action on the same course today, playing at the Purdue Ackerman course in West Lafayette for the U.S. Open girls qualifier.
“I do get a caddy, which is very nice, but I do have to wake up around 5:30,” said Gilrowski. “But I’m looking forward to it. It should be a really great event.”
Bruch will stay busy too, as she will fly to Oregon the day after the qualifier for another tournament.
“But after that, then I’m going to vacation in Hilton Head,” said Bruch. “So that’ll be my little break.”
Gabriella Gilrowski (right) won an all-Westfield final for the Women’s Western Junior championship, which took place Thursday at Woodland Country Club in Carmel. At left is Jocelyn Bruch, the runner-up. (Richie Hall)