Four Highline golfers are listed as having qualified for the NWAC women’s championships this weekend.
The championship will be held on May 22-23 in Yakima at the Apple Tree Golf Course. The top five women’s teams and 36 golfers will be swinging for a shot at the 2022 title.
Ashlynn Verhaaren, Faylisa Valle, Paige Unke and Brooklyn Grant will represent Highline in the individual bracket.
This will be their first time all four players are competing on the championship green. Paige Unke is the only returner for this Thunderbird golf squad. The other three sophomores hope to end their T-Bird careers on a good note.
Ashlynn Verhaaren is a third-year player who used her COVID-eligibility to return to Highline for a third season.
“For this tournament I’m hoping to play as well as I can. I don’t focus too much on where I am as an individual on the leaderboard but rather how smart I think that I’m playing. I hope to shoot a good score and that our team has a good time, no matter how we play,” said Verhaaren.
“My goal for the tournament is to mainly have fun, it’s my last tournament at Highline and I’d love to shoot lower than I have all season,” said sophomore Faylisa Valle.
The 2019-20 golf season was canceled due to the pandemic and the 2020-21 season was abbreviated with no championships held.
“The nerves definitely get to you knowing it’s the championship and with it being my last ever tournament. It’s a little more nerve racking because everyone wants to do good in their last college tournament,” said Valle.
Over the 2021-22 season Highline has been playing well together and as individuals said Ashlynn Verhaaren.
“The fact that we are all friends makes every tournament positive no matter what happens,” said Verhaaren.
“I feel that I’ve made incredible progress this season. I shot my personal best at our tournament in Centralia which is a huge accomplishment for me,” said Verhaaren.
Verhaaren had a career best of 81 in a round two weeks ago compared to averaging in the lower 90s in previous tournament rounds.
“I’ve been hitting the ball much better and focusing more on my chipping and putting,” said Faylisa Valle.
The tournament format is a 36-hole stroke play with the three lowest scores from each 18-hole round to determine the team’s score, according to the NWAC Website.
Those looking to cheer on Highline players during the championships can access live results on the BirdieFire Website.