Kellenberg's Catherine Slade wins Catholic girls golf championship by one stroke
Catherine Slade of Kellenberg tees off on a 323-yard Hole 16 during the Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA girls golf individual championship at Eisenhower Park's Blue Course on Wednesday, May 17, 2023. Credit: James Escher
When Catherine Slade of Kellenberg drained her final putt on the 18th green at Eisenhower Blue to win the NSCHSAA girls golf individual crown, she was immediately met with a hug from St. Anthony’s Grace London.
“I love competing against [Grace] because she’s an amazing opponent and she’s also my friend,” said Slade, who shot a 5-over par 77 to defeat London by one stroke. “On the 18th tee box, I said to her ‘No matter what happens after this we’re still going to get ice cream together.’”
“Playing with Cat makes me a better golfer,” London said. "We both bring out the competitiveness in each other and it’s always so much fun."
The juniors tied at 1-over par 37 on the front nine before London triple-bogeyed the par-4 10th hole. The defending individual champion made par on the next five holes to get within one stroke of Slade before double-bogeying the 16th hole to fall three strokes behind. Slade bogeyed the final two holes as she held on to the lead.
“It started to get tiring towards the end, and it was very, very windy so I definitely had to play the wind,” Slade said. “I didn’t finish as strong as I wanted to, but it will push me for next time.”
“I was really trying for birdies on the back nine to give myself an edge,” London said. “Overall, I’m still happy with how I played today and I’m even happier for Cat.”
The familiar No. 1 vs No. 1 have routinely traded wins this season. London defeated Slade by three strokes in their team’s first match of the season and Slade won by four strokes in the next match. Then, just five days ago, London edged out Slade by one stroke, shooting a 1-under par 71 at the NSCHSAA team championship.
Catherine Slade of Kellenberg, Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA girls golf individual champion, left, gets congratulated on Eisenhower Park's Blue Course by runner up and 2022 league champion Grace London of St. Anthony's on Wednesday, May 17, 2023. Credit: James Escher
“We’re always able to laugh it off together if either of us has a bad shot,” Slade said. “Our biggest thing is our friendship. We’ll always be there to congratulate each other no matter what happens.”
Four additional golfers will join Slade and London back at Eisenhower for the CHSAA state tournament on May 22. Bridget LaRosa (Kellenberg) finished third with an 80, Kaitlin Donopria (Sacred Heart) finished fourth with an 82, Emma Giaquinto was fifth with an 86 and Nicole Amoruso (St. Anthony’s) qualified for the first time, finishing sixth with an 87.
