Farah O'Keefe, Anderson girls complete sweep of Class 5A state golf gold
Anything Anderson’s boys golf team can do, the Trojans girls can do just as well.
A week after the Trojan boys won a UIL Class 5A state championship, Anderson’s girls did the same. And the victory came in dramatic fashion; Anderson’s girls couldn’t celebrate until they crowded into the pro shop at the White Wing Golf Club and found out they won by one stroke over Alamo Heights.
To make the wins even sweeter, senior Keaton Vo won individual honors for Anderson’s boys last week while junior Farah O’Keefe powered to gold for the girls. And it gets even better for area golf fans; O’Keefe committed to Texas a few days ago, joining Vo as a future Longhorn.
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“I’m going straight to buy a lottery ticket,” said John McPherson, who coaches both the boys and girls teams. “I mean, it doesn’t get better than this. It can’t get better than this.”
Anderson trailed Alamo Heights by seven strokes after nine holes but continued to prod away at the powerhouse Mules program, which placed its two teams second and third. O’Keefe had four birdies on the back nine, including one on the par-5 18th hole, when she powered through a live oak with a 5-iron from 210 yards out to reach the green with her second shot.
Darrelyn Webster also had a dramatic birdie on the 18th hole, when she rolled in a 35-foot putt from the front of the green to negate a 40-foot putt by Alamo Heights’ Lindsay Lee.
“I was doing what I could to help the team,” Webster said. “I knew I had to make that.”
More: Anderson, Keaton Vo strike gold at state boys golf tournament
But the two days belonged to O’Keefe, who fired an 8-under (66-70) 136 to win by five strokes over Julia Vollmer of Alamo Heights. O'Keefe had 15 birdies over the two rounds while becoming the first Anderson girls golfer to win an individual state title. Her performance helped the Trojans win the first girls golf team title in school history and only the third team title in school history in a UIL-sanctioned girls sport. Anderson won girls swimming titles in 1975 and 1983.
“We all got a little bit nervous because we wanted to back up our boys,” she said, referring to the title won by the boys a week earlier. “And that just makes it that much sweeter. I’m just speechless; this is unbelievable.”
And what about committing to the Longhorns Friday?
“I’m so excited,” she said. “I like the coaches and the environment in Austin. I’m happy to stay home. Hook ’em.”
Anderson shot a 305-295 600 to rally for the win over defending champion Alamo Heights. Webster tied for fifth with a 77-72 149 while Caroline Dasch placed 14th with a 76-77 153. Sloane Panter (33rd, 86-76 152) and Karime Nichols (59th, 94-89 183) completed Anderson’s team score. All but senior Panter return next year, when the Trojans move back to Class 6A.
But next year can wait for McPherson, whose big weekend also included the graduation of his two children from Texas Tech and Texas A&M, respectively.
But, Coach, what are you going to do to celebrate?
“Whatever my wife allows me to,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Farah O'Keefe, Anderson win UIL Class 5A state golf championship