Fifth place finish at state lines Adare up for next shot

Wimberley senior Hallie Adare placed fifth at the UIL 4A State Championship Golf Tournament last week after shooting a 77 and a 75 during the two-day tournament.

The first day of the tournament started off strong with a par on the first hole followed up by a birdie on the second hole.

Adare was trying to lean into her strengths on the golf course to compete with the best in the state.

“I struck the ball really well,” Adare said. “I had been working since Regionals on making solid contact and giving myself birdie opportunities, and I did that. I just didn’t make very many putts. I hit the ball better than I scored. I just couldn’t get them in the hole, but that is just golf sometimes.”

At the end of the first day, her 77 was good for seventh place.

“From tee to green, she hit the ball as good as anybody out there,” Coach Dane Saucier said. “She struggled a bit with the pace of the greens. It wasn’t terrible, obviously, but if there was a downfall that was it. She hung in there on the back nine and competed really well to stay in the hunt for a medal.”

A long 30-foot putt dropped on the back nine of the second day for a birdie that proved to Adare that, at least at times, putts do fall. It helped lead to a three-over-par 75 on day two pushed her up to fifth place with a final score of 152. While medaling in the state tournament was the dream, it wasn’t the entire goal.

Adare missed making the state tournament last year by three strokes. Being in the tournament her senior year accomplished one of her major goals. From there, it was about enjoying the experience as much as it was competing to win.

“It was my last high school tournament, so my Dad said to have fun and enjoy it because this is the last time walking the fairways with the Texan bag,” Adare said. “I wanted to play well, but I also wanted to have fun.”

It may be her last time with the Texan bag on the course, but her play earned her a spot at the next level.

Adare was standing on hole five of Quicksand Golf Course in Woodcreek while practicing for the state tournament with fellow Wimberley golfer Jaxon Donaldson and each of their fathers about two weeks ago. She got a phone call from the Texas State University Women’s Golf Coach asking her to walk on to play for the Bobcats.

“I started crying,” Adare said. “I got really emotional. That is pretty much my dream place to play. This is an amazing opportunity. I was shocked and happy and couldn’t really think for a moment.”

And then, like a collegiate golfer should, she walked back to the tee and hit her drive straight down the fairway.