In her career, Waubonsie Valley senior star Bing Singhsumalee has seen plenty of individual success at the state tournament.
Singhsumalee finished fourth in Class AA as a freshman and second last year to Neuqua Valley’s Jessica Yuen.
The main goal this year before Singhsumalee heads to the University of Illinois was helping the Warriors get to the Class AA meet at Hickory Point in Decatur as a team for the first time since 1998.
So when the Warriors shot a 314 at the Class AA Lincoln-Way Central Sectional at The Sanctuary, good enough for the third and final qualifying team slot, led by a 66 from Singhsumalee, she could rest easy knowing that the Warriors were back at state.
“It is a major relief,” Waubonsie coach John Farnan said. “That’s been her goal all year. I was happier for her that the team got to go down because I know how hard she has been working. It would be fitting that she would win (the individual state title) based on everything she’s done for the team.”
The way Singhsumalee has played this year; it appears that she is among the favorites, if not the favorite, to cap her high school career with a state title.
For a player with a résumé as extensive as hers, even this season has turned heads. Her season average in 18-hole events is 69. The only tournament in which she wasn’t the medalist was the Homewood-Flossmoor Invitational, where she placed second. She was the Upstate Eight Valley Player of the Year and the medalist for both the regional and sectional tournaments.
“I think she’s playing the best golf that I’ve seen,” Farnan said. “Her approach is a bit different. This is the year she has enjoyed the most. That has something to do with it, but she is playing terrific golf. It’s been pretty incredible.
“It has that feeling (that she is the favorite), but to be honest with you, I don’t know if she has the same sense that she has to win it. I think she is truly going to go down and enjoy the experience with the team.”
The focus at state externally will be on players from the three Valley schools, with Singhsumalee aiming to win her first state title. Yuen, who shot a 69 Monday, is the defending champion. And Metea Valley junior Katelyn Kline shot a 68 on Monday. Those were the three best sectional scores in the state.
But,there are no proclamations coming from Singhsumalee that she is the favorite or that she has to win.
“I’m just hoping to be consistent, pars and birdies, nothing special,” Singhsumalee said. “We’ll just see what happens. I know this course too well now. I think it’s just being comfortable with the environment now. I just view it like another tournament. There are no expectations for me. I just want to come down and have a good experience.”
