Mustangs sending two to state: Rudnicki twins advance despite second-round struggles

As well as Lyle and Oliver Rudnicki, the No. 1 and 2-scoring players from Redmond High’s golf team, have played this year, “pressure can make you do funny things,” according to head coach Chris Zimmerman.

After Lyle’s 73 and Oliver’s 74 on Tuesday, the twins looked to be well within the cut line for the 4A state tournament, which advance the top 14 finishers from the two-day 4A Kingco District Tournament held this year at Redmond’s own Willows Run Golf Club.

Lyle was a model of consistency through the first 12 holes on Wednesday, making 12 pars to open up his round, before disaster struck on the short par-4 13th. He hooked his ball left out of bounds, ending up making a triple bogey to give Woodinville standout Kyle Lindor a lead he would never relinquish, winning the tournament with a 73-73–146 total.

Lyle came right back with a birdie after the triple bogey and ended up at 73-77–150 for a tie of second place with Inglemoor’s Cole Hublou.

“Lyle played great (Wednesday), he just had one bad swing on a hole, and if he didn’t have that, he’d have been right in it,” said Zimmerman.

During Tuesday’s medalist round, Lindor and Rudnicki tied at 73, and instead of a traditional one-hole playoff, the boys decided to hold an 18-hole playoff during Wednesday’s play.

“I was really excited going into this match, because I was basically playing against Lindor, just me and him,” Lyle said. “I parred the first 12 holes, and I was excited about that, but I couldn’t make a single putt. They just barely missed.”

Playing the long par-5 18th, Lyle was handed a golden opportunity when Lindor pushed his tee shot into the hazard right, but Lyle pulled his drive wide left beyond the white out-of-bounds stakes again, and was forced to settle for second place.

Oliver struggled with his putting and consistency, scrambling to an 82 on Wednesday and a 156 total, which ended up being the cut.

“Oliver, luckily, snuck through,” said Zimmerman with a sigh of relief. “But Oliver played probably the best round out of anybody in the field (on Tuesday), so I think that really helped him get through.”

The senior noted that he missed many short putts, and that he struggled with distance control.

“I missed about five putts from four feet and in, which kinda killed me,” Oliver recalled. “My ball-striking was pretty good, but my distances were off. I flew the bunkers on 17 over the green into the hazard.”

In the end, a well-played par on the final hole punched his return ticket to state.

All six of Redmond’s players ended up making the 18-hole districts cut to play on Wednesday – Jimbo Curtin (80-80–160), Conrad Croshaw (81-81–162), Jackson Safon (80-82–162) and Cole Helgeson (81-82–163).

With the long layoff between now and the 4A state tournament, which will be held in May in Spokane at a golf course to be determined, the Rudnickis said they will continue to keep their schedule busy with golf, polishing their games and hopefully ending their senior campaigns with a bang.

“Our classes aren’t as hard this year, not as much homework – so I’m going to try to be out there close to every day, working on my putting because that kind of let me down,” Oliver said. “Working on my consistency so I don’t have another 74-82 again.”

Helgeson and fellow senior Kirk Gysler rounded out the Mustangs’ graduating class this year in addition to the Rudnickis, a group that Zimmerman held in the highest regard.

Zimmerman, a club pro at Inglewood Country Club in Kenmore, has had the Rudnickis and Helgeson for four years in the program, and Gysler for three.

“All four of my seniors are good young men now, and they’re off to do well in college,” he said. “Hopefully, some of them will play some golf, but if not I have no doubt that they’re all going to turn out to be great people.”

FINAL LEADERBOARD, 4A KINGCO DISTRICT TOURNAMENT (Top 14 go to 4A state tournament in May 2012)

1. Kyle Lindor (Woodinville), 73-73–146

T-2. Lyle Rudnicki (Redmond), 73-77–150

T-2. Cole Hublou (Inglemoor), 76-74–150

T-4. Michael Day (Ballard), 78-74–152

T-4.Spencer Weiss (Eastlake), 77-75–152

T-4.Kelley Sullivan (Skyline), 79-73–152

T-4.Garrett Foss (Woodinville), 75-77–152

8. Li Wang (Eastlake), 80-73–153

T-9. Kevin Zhao (Newport), 78-76–154

T-9. Jack Fisher (Eastlake), 76-78–154

T-11. Brian Mogg (Skyline), 80-75–155