State was fate for Lauren Beaudreau this past Autumn. The sophomore, who has been golfing since her dad got her hooked on the game at age seven, shot a 71-71 (2 under par for the tournament) to win a second place finish at the girls golf championships this past October.

Beaudreau is no stranger to success in the golfing world, having played in both the U.S. Women’s Amateur and the U.S. Girls Junior last year. In addition, she has won two American Junior Golf Association national tournaments and has been player of the year for three years in the Illinois Junior Golf Association as well as player of the year these past two seasons of high school golf.

Last year at the state tournament she placed fourth and attributes her higher finish this year to the extra hours of hard work she put in during the off season. Her goal is to one day turn professional and play in the LPGA Tour. But even with all these magnificent accolades and achievements, Beaudreau still thinks the best part of golf is the mental challenge of the game itself and the long-lasting friendships the game has brought her.

With her drive and persistence, Benet shouldn’t be surprised to see a first-place finish from Beaudreau next year. However, congratulations on the second place finish this year at the IHSA state tournament!