Izzy Benson’s consistency paid dividends again Thursday, as the Republic senior qualified for the state golf tournament for the fourth consecutive year. Benson shot an 87 at Silo Ridge Country Club in Bolivar to finish ninth in the district tournament, securing her spot at state. It also earned her all-district honors.
Benson joins Allison Quigley and Payton Rayl as the only Republic girls golfers to qualify for state all four years of their high school careers. The accomplishment didn’t come without its challenges, Benson said.
“Just going into the season, I was nervous. There was a lot of pressure,” she said. “I medaled at COC all four years, and I went to state all four years. And so just keeping that reputation up was definitely a little nerve-wracking.”
Benson said her nerves settled as the round progressed, especially after a strong start.
“First nine honestly went really, really well. I was really happy with the way I played today,” she said. “The first hole was super nerve-wracking, just because it always is. But the whole 18, I kept it together, and I just kept the end in mind for sure.”
Despite her success, Benson said she still struggles with feeling like she belongs at the state tournament.
“Every time I go to state, it doesn’t feel like I fit there,” she said. “But at the end of the day, I earned my spot.”
Benson’s past experiences at state have shown her ability to improve as the tournament progresses. “I know for last year, day one didn’t go super well for me, but I turned it around for day two, and I was really happy with that,” Benson said.
Benson will be joined by a teammate this year. Sophomore Jenna Smith also qualified for the state tournament, to be played at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield.