GOLF: McDaniel finishes unbeaten on SIGA Jr. Tour
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Heather McDaniel capped off a perfect Southern Illinois Golf Association Junior Tour season on Monday, posting a round of 73 (+1) to win the 16-18 year-old girls division at the SIGA Players Championship held at Rend Lake Golf Course.
McDaniel (Pinckneyville) had already wrapped up the points championship heading into the event, but put an exclamation point at the end of her summer season by winning her ninth SIGAJT event in as many tries.
"Just by playing in all these tournaments and playing all these courses, I've shown myself that I can shoot low 70's, that I can shoot consistently, and that I've improved so much since last year," McDaniel said.
"I missed a few putts out there, but I also got lucky in some cases too."
McDaniel was three shots better than second place Brittanie Garrison.
On the boys side, Kolton Pavloff (Du Quoin) finished in tenth place at Rend Lake with a round of 80, but still finished in second place in the Junior Tour points standings to earn some well-deserved hardware.
"(The SIGA) did a great job with the tour and developing the points system," Pavloff said. "To get second is better than I would have imagined and better than I could have hoped for."
Pavloff carded a 41 on the front nine before going +3 (39) on the back.
"It was better than my two practice rounds, I'm always happy with 30's," Pavloff said. "It could have been better, could have made a few more putts, could have made a few more shots, but overall I'm really happy with it."
Kody Rendleman (Murphysboro) took first with a score of 70 (-2), and also earned first place in tour points in one of the most highly-contested age groups.
Aaron Tripp (Du Quoin) was fifth amongst 12-13 year-old boys at the Players Championship, posting a 58 for his nine holes.
With the SIGAJT season in the books, many of the tour's golfers in the elder age groups will now prepare for the high school schedule, which begins next week.
"I'm ready for it," said McDaniel, "as long as I can keep up at the pace I'm going."
McDaniel and the Pinckneyville Panthers' girls golf team claimed the school's first IHSA Regional in the sport in 2010, with McDaniel eventually claiming sixth place at the state tournament as an individual.
Pinckneyville begins their season at Nashville on August 18, then plays at Red Hawk Golf Course on August 19 in Du Quoin's opener that will also include Herrin and Waltonville.
<element id="paragraph-1" type="body"></element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ <element id="paragraph-1" type="body"></element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ <element id="paragraph-1" type="body"></element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ <element id="paragraph-1" type="body"></element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[</group><group id="37E3FF17-7DC6-44F2-B51B-2D51EE13E359" type="seoLabels"><se