2023 All-Area girls' golf: Meet the first team
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Here are the headliners of Year 20 of our All-Area Girls' Golf team:
Amelia Birge
Salt Fork senior
Why she made the first team ... Birge's nine-hole scoring average of 47 is impressive as is, but it becomes even better when you factor in that she played from the men's tees all season. Birge made it to sectionals as an individual and was one stroke away from qualifying for state.
She needs tickets to see ... the Masters or the women's U.S. Open golf tournaments to watch her favorite athletes.
Before she competes, she eats ... an oatmeal and yogurt bowl.
Her dream career is ... a prison chaplain so she can share the good word of God to those who might not feel seen or understood.
Her favorite school subject is ... English because she enjoys writing about topics she believes in.
Her favorite athlete is ... Nelly Korda or Viktor Hovland because they remain humble through all their success.
Her favorite movies are ... the "Harry Potter" and "Hunger Games" series and "Elf" during Christmas time.
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... her Grandpa Birge, Taylor Swift and Arnold Palmer.
Three things on her bucket list are ... going on a mission trip out of the country, flying a plane and going skydiving.
Shae Ellis
Sullivan junior
Why she made the first team ... Ellis was one of three area girls' golfers to compete in the Class 1A state tournament, and she was the lowest finisher, tying for 36th with rounds of 91 and 85. Ellis was a regional champion and had a nine-hole scoring average of 45.
She needs tickets to see ... Trevon Brazile and the Arkansas men's basketball team or a Drake concert.
Before she competes, she eats ... a Snickers bar.
Her dream career is ... a professional golfer so she can travel the world playing the sport she loves.
Her favorite school subject is ... math.
Her favorite athlete is ... Grant Horvat.
Her favorite TV show is ... "Lucifer."
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... Charlie Woods, Tiger Woods and her dad because her dad said she'd have to invite him if she ever met Tiger.
Three things on her bucket list are ... going skydiving, traveling to Europe and playing golf at Augusta National.
Brooke Hartman
Mahomet-Seymour sophomore
Why she made the first team ... Hartman led a solid Mahomet-Seymour group that saw five individuals qualify for sectionals. Hartman had a nine-hole scoring average of 44.3, finished top three in the Champaign County Tournament and was an All-Apollo Conference selection.
She needs tickets to see ... a Zach Bryan concert.
Before she competes, she eats ... spaghetti and drinks a Body Armor.
Her dream career is ... a private pilot.
Her favorite school subject is ... math.
Her favorite athlete is ... Michael Jordan.
Her favorite movie is ... "Happy Gilmore."
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... Elvis Presley, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.
Three things on her bucket list are ... playing at a bunch of different golf courses around the world, going to Paris and going skydiving.
Addison Jones
Champaign Central senior
Why she made the first team ... Jones carded an average 9-hole score of 45.2 on her way to placing ninth in Champaign Central's season-opening tournament and eighth in the Big 12 Conference Tournament. Her play was also good enough to qualify her for sectionals for the second year in a row.
She needs tickets to see ... a Noah Kahan concert.
Before she competes, she drinks ... water.
Her dream career is ... a chiropractor or physical therapist.
Her favorite school subject is ... math.
Her favorite athlete is ... Scottie Scheffler.
Her favorite TV show is ... "Friends."
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston.
Three things on her bucket list are ... going to the Masters, visiting Italy, France and Germany and going snorkeling.
Sarah Mills
Clinton senior
Why she made the first team ... Mills started to heat up at the right time this season. She finished first at the Central Illinois Conference Tournament with a 95, sixth at regionals with a 92 and 14th at sectionals with an 88. That qualified her for the Class 1A state finals, where she shot a 95 and 92 to tie for 57th.
She needs tickets to see ... a Zach Bryan or Tyler Childers concert.
Before she competes, she eats ... a banana and drinks a red Gatorade.
Her dream career is ... a professional golfer, but she's planning on becoming an agriculture teacher.
Her favorite school subject is ... art and welding.
Her favorite athlete is ... LeBron James.
Her favorite movie is ... "Happy Gilmore."
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... Snoop Dogg, Adam Sandler and John Daly.
Three things on her bucket list are ... attending or playing in a major golf tournament, visiting all seven continents and hitting a hole-in-one.
Ashley Wells
St. Thomas More junior
Why she made the first team ... Wells had a convincing lead on all other area golfers with her nine-hole scoring average of 39. She shot a 76 at regionals to lead St. Thomas More to a team regional title. Wells made it out of sectionals to qualify for the Class 1A state tournament, where she shot rounds of 92 and 97 to tie for 61st.
She needs tickets to see ... a Zac Brown Band concert.
Before she competes, she eats ... caramel corn and cookies made by her coach.
Her dream career is ... pending because she's "still dreaming."
Her favorite school subject is ... math.
Her favorite athlete is ... Scottie Scheffler.
Her favorite TV show is ... "Friends."
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... her Grandpa Wells, whom she never got to meet, Sandra Bullock and Rory McIlroy.
Three things on her bucket list are ... playing golf at Augusta National, traveling to New Zealand and visiting the 25 states she hasn't been to yet.
