By PAUL GOTHAM
PITTSFORD, N. Y. — Reagan Paolini (Churchville-Chili/Hilton) shot a two-over 74 in Day 2 to claim the 2026 Section V Girls’ Golf Individual Championship, Wednesday from Oak Hill Country Club Country Club.
Two back to start the day, Paolini trailed by three strokes after the third hole on Wednesday. The ninth-grader was one over for the final nine holes of the tournament.
“She’s just a competitor,” said Churchville-Chili/Hilton head coach, Brian Young. “She knew what she had to do and has just spent countless hours with every shot that she’s hit, knowing that it’s got to get hit this way.”
Paolini birdied the 13th hole to grab the lead for the first time on the day.
“It was a great drive, I flushed it,” she said. “Then I hit an 8-iron to 12 feet. That putt, though, it was downhill, breaking left to right, like, pretty crazy, and I drained it.”
She started to pull away when she also birdied the par-3 14th.
Consistently staying in fairways off the tee, Paolini finished with a two-day total of 150 (+6).
“I like my driver, like my driver a lot,” she said with a smile. “Just had a positive mindset going into today, especially with my driver.”
On four different holes she shot one under-par on Wednesday.
A year ago, Paolini finished two shots off the lead when Destiny Jodoin (Victor) won the Section V title.
“She was still a little bitter from last year, which you carry that with you as an athlete in any sport that you’re doing,” Young said. “So she had it set in her mind that she was gonna do everything she could this year to make sure that when she came back here, she was ready to play.”
Paolini played in the final group of the day with teammate Jacey Neylon and Audrey Hogan (Our Lady of Mercy/HAC).
“Going up or down, you know, position to position, the kids don’t usually know where they stand,” Young said. “But she was in a group where she kind of knew where the girls were from the previous day. So she knew, shot in and shot out, I either, I’m either right there, a little behind or a little ahead.”
Neylon finished second (+8). Hogan placed third (+11).
All three qualified for the state tournament that will take place next June.
Jennie Piao (Mercy/HAC), Addie Puccia (Penfield), Allie Sherman (Spencerport), Reese Paolini (Churchville-Chili/Hilton), Catherine Smith (Spencerport) and Tenley Shea (Spencerport) also secured spots in the state tournament.
Churchville-Chili/Hilton (+46) claimed the team title on Tuesday.
“These girls are tremendous,” Young said of his team. “The camaraderie between them is amazing. Obviously, the two sisters (Reagan and Reese Paolini) have had that for a lifetime, but they bring that energy to all the girls, and everybody feels included. Everybody feels like they’re a part of the group. This whole season was a six-girl participation. There were matches where it came down to our sixth girl. So it’s nice to see them just gel together so well, especially being in two different districts. It’s hard to do that, but these girls are amazing. Great families, great kids.”
Section V will host the state tournament at Wildwood Country Club.
Reagan Paolini (+6) sinks this birdie putt on 13 to take the lead from teammate Jacey Neylon (+7). https://t.co/yf9C6BQEV0
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 14, 2026
Reagan Paolini shoots a two over 74 in Round 2 to take a 2-stroke victory for the @SecVAthletics championship. https://t.co/HKxvBlYon6
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 14, 2026
Beauty of an approach from Audrey Hogan. https://t.co/MfyRTIAW8K
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 14, 2026
Leader Jacey Neylon (+4) tees off on the par 3, third. https://t.co/5v2Ei4Cgo9
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 14, 2026
Leave a Reply