Shannon BrooksLORTON, VA — OCTOBER 24, 2012

This year, given another opportunity, Shannon Brooks closed the deal and the Madison Warhawks’ sophomore is the Virginia High School League’s Girls State Open champion as a result.

Brooks won the 2012 title Oct. 23 with a 1-over, two-day total of 72-73–145 on the par-72 Laurel Hill Golf Club course in Lorton.

She won by two shots over defending champion Abby Portyrata of Clover Hill and Lyndsey Hunnell of Lord Botetourt, who each carded 147 totals.

“I thought it would take par golf to win,” said Brooks, who was the first-round leader.

Brooks also was the first-round leader a year ago when she shot 70, but finished third by struggling to a second-round 79.

“That made me nervous,” Brooks said in regard to leading again after the first round. “I bogeyed the first hole, then I calmed down and hit the ball better. I played through the nerves.”

Brooks had five birdies in her final round, including one on the 18th hole. Brooks did not have a par in her final six holes, when she made three birdies and three bogeys.

One of those bogeys came on the 13th hole, which Portyrata birdied. That left the golfers tied for the lead with five holes to play.

Brooks birdied and Portyrata bogeyed the 14th, then Brooks rolled in a 25-foot birdie put on the 15th to give her a three-shot lead over Portyrata.

Brooks bogeyed the 16th and 17th, but Portyrata also bogeyed No. 17. Both players birdied the 18th. On the 16th, Brooks lost a ball, but got up-and-down for bogey.

“She really grinded out the last six holes and that made the difference,” Madison coach Derrick Rauenzahn. “Getting it up-and-down for bogey on 16 was big. She went wire-to-wire this year. It was a perfect ending.”

Brooks is the fifth golfer from the Northern Region to win the Girls State Open since the competition began in 2002. She is the first Madison golfer, girl or boy, to win a state individual golf title.

Brooks’ teammate Amber Liu, a Madison freshman, finished tied for fourth with a 73-78–151 total.

“Shannon and Amber are good friends and got along well all season. I think that helped make their golf games better,” Rauenzahn said.

Langley High senior Adrienne Schmidt finished sixth at 80-72–152. Her second-round 72 was the lowest score of the day and tied for the lowest in the tournament. Schmidt was 3-under after five holes with birdies on the first, third and fifth holes.

“She had a great round,” Langley coach Al Berg said. “I told her no three-putts and to hit it close to the hole.”

McLean High’s Paridhi Bhargava shot 94-86–180 to finish 30th.

Chantilly’s Ju Hee Bae, the 2010 runner-up, tied for seventh at 77-76–153 and Ruby Rim of Fairfax was ninth at 79-75–154.

NOTES: Laurel Hill has been good to Brooks during her recent rounds on the course. Prior to the state tournament, she shot 68 the previous time she played the course. Her first-round 72 in the state tournament included a steady start with pars on her first seven holes, a birdie on the eighth, then a strong close with birdies on 17 and 18. She said that 68 gave her confidence entering the state tournament.