By BART O’CONNELL
Tribune correspondent
HUDSON – She has been the best Girls Golfer in Pasco County the last two years, but Monday morning at Meadow Oaks Golf Course, Mitchell’s Megan Van Etten finally had all facets of her game working perfectly on the same day.

And the results were astounding.

Van Etten made eight birdies and just one bogey for a sensational, 7-under par 63 on the 4,566-yard, par-70 layout in the Sunshine Athletic Conference Girls Tournament. Her only competition for individual medalist honors, sister and teammate Rebecca Van Etten, shot 67 to finish four back. No other player shot better than 75.

Together, they led the Mustangs (308 strokes) to an eighth consecutive SAC team title.

“When I saw I was 3-under [through 9 holes], I thought [it could be a special day],” Megan Van Etten said. “After that, I was just trying to make pars and birdies.”

Starting on the ninth hole, Megan Van Etten birdied all three par-5s on the back nine (Nos. 12, 14 and 17). Then she drove just left of the green at the short par-4 18th, and got up and down to move to 4-under.

After a long delay before playing the first, she made a 30-foot putt for her third consecutive birdie and sixth overall. A bogey at No. 3, the second-hardest hole on the course, after a bad chip dropped her to minus-4, but she quickly bounced back by birdying the 460-yard, par-5 fifth, again nearly reaching the green in two shots.

She stuck a iron about three feet from the pin at the 127-yard, par-3 sixth and rattled the putt in off the side of the cup for yet another birdie. At the final hole, she came up short of the green, made the 60-foot chip shot look easy, and made the sidehill putt for her final birdie of the day.

But the hole that pleased her most was No. 7, when after hitting the ball into a hazard and taking a penalty stroke, she hit a fine wedge shot close to a tight hole location with falloffs short and long, saving par with another one-putt.

“I think she was ready for a breakout round,” said Mitchell coach Joe Castellano, who captured his fourth consecutive SAC team title as coach. “I think everything just kind of came together for her today…She’s just been ready to explode, I guess.”

Megan admitted that before the round, she was nervous because she was not playing with her sister, who has been a calming influence throughout the year. But Rebecca, a freshman, was playing in the group behind her and easily took second with five birdies of her own. The two shared a hug after Rebecca’s round.

Zephyrhills’ Sarah Baniszewski was third with a round of 75 highlighted by an eagle. Gulf’s Bailey Logan (76) made four birdies to finish fourth, and Zephyrhills’ Lauren McCloud took fifth (83). The top five are automatically placed on the SAC First Team.

The Mustangs were followed by Zephyrhills (340), River Ridge (378) and Gulf (388) in the team standings.

Sunshine Athletic Conference Girls Golf Tournament
At Meadow Oaks Golf Club, Hudson (4,566 yards, par-70)

Team Results

1. Mitchell 308; 2. Zephyrhills 340; 3. River Ridge 378; 4. Gulf 388; 5. Pasco 411; 6. Wiregrass Ranch 421; 7. Sunlake 450; 8. Ridgewood 456; 9. Land O’ Lakes 490. Hudson and Wesley Chapel did not post team scores.

Top 10 individuals (with ties)

1. M. Van Etten (M) 63; 2. R. Van Etten (M) 67; 3. Baniszewski (Z) 75; 4. Logan (G) 76; 5. McLeod (Z) 83; 6. Pitts (M) 88; 7. Stahl (RR) 89; 7. Brady (Z) 89; 9. Gonzalez (WR) 90; 9. Donato (RR) 90; 9. Kinney (M) 90; 9. Fivecoat (M) 90.