By Kate Smigelski ’15 | Staff Writer

Four years of hard work has paid off for Lily Pendy ’14 after she earned a  State Champion.

Girl’s Golf State Championships were October 18-19 at Forest Akers West, Coach Mike Rennell said. Pendy finished as a medalist for the state with a final score of 150.

 “I expected her to do very well,” said Rennell. “To be medalist in individual champion is something that is very difficult to do.”

Pendy has been playing for South all four years, and was co-captain with her cousin, Tenley Shield, this year, Rennell said. Shield finished 4th in the state.

“There’s never tension between them, and they always do very well,” said Rennell.

Being state champion is a huge accomplishment, Pendy’s mom, Megan Pendy, said.

“I have always known Lily has the ability and is capable of winning at a high level,” said Megan Pendy. “Now she knows it, too.”

 Pendy practiced a lot for states, Megan Pendy said. She focused on putting and her short game the last two weeks of the season.

“I knew that my short game was what I needed to improve to do as well as I did,” said Pendy.

 Along with winning an individual State Championship, Pendy was also regional champion, Megan Pendy said.

“It’s nice to see her being rewarded for all the hard work that she has put in to get to this point,”  said Megan Pendy.

Pendy’s love for golf is genetic, Megan Pendy said. She started playing around the age of 10 with her brother, but she did not take the sport seriously until high school. Her brother, Tommy, and her sister, Ella, also played golf for South and Ella now plays at the University of Michigan.

“There is a lot of built up competition between all the cousins that keeps their game sharp,” said Megan Pendy. “Lily comes from a fun-loving, golfing family.”

The thought of being state champion was always present, Pendy said. She tried not to put too much pressure on herself though.

“I didn’t over think it too much,” said Pendy, “but I knew I could do it.

Although Shield and Pendy were both expected to do very well, tension between the cousins has never been in issue during competition, Pendy said. They always support each other.

“Shield and Pendy bounced back and forth between first place at tournaments,” said Rennell. “They both root for each other because they’re cousins and co-captains.”

Pendy hopes to be playing golf for a Division I or Division II college.

She  has narrowed her choices down between Loyola, Grand Valley, Ohio University and Montana State, Pendy said.

“She might have more schools approach her about playing for them after this achievement,” said Rennell.

All of the hard work and practice has paid off, Pendy said. Even though the weather was a little touchy at States, she was able to keep her patience and fight through it.

“I can tell my family and coach are proud of me, and I’m proud of myself too,” said Pendy. “I’m glad I was able to experience this with them supporting me.”

Gallery • 1 Photos

Lily Pendy '14 celebrates after being named state champion.