Mayer, Waubonsie start on high note

In Monday’s season opener, Alec Meyer shot below 70 for the first time in his high school career. His timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

In the first tournament of the season’s first day, the Waubonsie Valley senior’s 3-under-par 69 won Naperville Central’s Bob Sterr Open at Naperbrook in Plainfield. With teammate Alex Koulos shooting a 73, the Warriors won the 12-team tournament with a 293 total. Scorers in the tournament were determined by nine-hole scores instead of the typical 18.

Waubonsie defeated Naperville North Blue (298), which consisted of the Huskies’ top six players. The Sterr Open was the first tournament for Naperville North since placing third at the Class 3A state meet last season.

Eric Izzo (71) and Jake Dunham (72) finished 3-4 for Naperville North. Lyons junior Charlie Netzel (70), who tied for 19th in last year’s state meet, was the runner-up.

Meyer failed to qualify for last year’s state meet, but reached the state tournament as a sophomore in his first season at Waubonsie. Meyer attended Neuqua Valley as a freshman, but transferred due to boundary changes within the district.

“I was able to keep my driver in the fairway,” Meyer said. “I played well. This was the second time I have played at Naperbrook all year. I like it a lot.”

Meyer shot a 72 in last year’s Sterr Open. He shot a career-best 68 on Aug. 2 in the first of two rounds at the Mid-American Junior Golf Tour’s Legends Classic in Franklin, Ind. He won the tournament with a 142 total, eight shots ahead of runner-up Jimmy Jaskoske  of Addison.

His only bogey Monday came on the 387-yard par-4 13th hole. Meyer started on No. 1 in a shotgun start and birdied Nos. 9, 11, 12 and 14.

“It’s definitely a confidence booster to start off the year like that. It’s nice. We have a lot of tournaments to play,” Meyer said.

Netzel was in the first group to come off the course and was the early clubhouse leader. His only bogey was on the par-3 15th when he chunked his second shot out of wet sand in the bunker and then two-putted.

The last time Netzel played at Naperbrook was last year’s sectional when he won a five-man playoff for two spots to advance to the state meet. Netzel birdied his first playoff hole at No. 18.

“Every school is pretty good (here),” Netzel said. “I know there are at least two guys from each team capable of shooting under par.”

Izzo, a senior, shot 74 in last year’s Sterr Open and bogeyed the par-4 first hole after staring on No. 18. He made birdies on his next four holes and parred the rest of his round.

“I hit every single green and two-putted every single green,” Izzo said. “It was a good feeling. I didn’t play that well, but this gives me a lot of confidence.”

Raymond Knoll, who finished fifth in last year’s state meet, also returns for Naperville North, but did not place Monday.

“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves,” Izzo said. “I think that’s too easy. We had a good team last year. We have to play well.”

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