For Sayville's Julie MacDonell, success has not only come in the classrooms of Sayville High School, but also on the greens of the golf course. MacDonell, the Sayville Class of 2010 Salutatorian, is heading to Harvard University after both outstanding academic and golf careers.
After helping Sayville win the Suffolk championship and Long Island championship with the help of teammates Jenn Clinton and Cynthia Cheng, MacDonell competed in the state championship as one of the top nine golfers from the Suffolk County championship.
On June 13, as the days of summer were rapidly approaching, signaling the end of her journey as a high school student, MacDonell was surprised to find herself tied with two-time defending state champion Suzie Lee of Commack heading into the final round of the state golf championship at the College Golf Course at Delhi in Delaware County, New York.
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"I was thinking I was just lucky," said the humble MacDonell of being tied with Lee, who is going to USC, where she will play on the golf team.
To gain some perspective, MacDonell thought about her coach Tim Dillon's Sayville saying: "One breath at a time, one step at a time, one swing at a time."
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"It's just really powerful because it forces you to think about your own game and not think too far into the future. You release all those expectations you might have, either positive or negative," MacDonell said.
Still tied going into the 17th hole, she would make par while Lee bogeyed the hole, giving MacDonell a one-stroke lead going into the 18th and final hole, a par five. Talk about pressure. "I just tried to forget about it," MacDonell said. "I could see my coach hiding because he knows I don't like people watching when I play."
Lee made par in the final hole while MacDonell birdied (1 under) the hole, making her the state golf champion, an accomplishment she will always cherish.
"Everything fell into place for me," she said. "It was so special — the whole experience. It was just the perfect closure to my senior year. I just replay it in my head that last hole. I just remember seeing my parents and all the Suffolk County coaches and the look in my coach's eyes. It was unforgettable."
MacDonell is fairly new to golf, having taken up the sport during the summer before seventh grade at the West Sayville Junior Golf Camp. "We say that everyone has their own gifts. My climate was just perfect for me and I was fortunate enough to embrace it," she said.
MacDonell played for the junior varsity team in seventh grade and then the varsity team beginning in eighth grade. "In seventh grade, I was choosing between golf and softball. On a whim, I chose golf. It wasn't until the eighth grade that I really discovered how much I liked it," she said. "I've played so many sports. I just think [golf] is so mentally challenging and, at the same time, it can be physical, athletic, artistic and rhythmic. It's just so different. Probably my favorite part is how inventive you have to be with all your shots."
At Harvard, McDonell is planning on studying physics and, hopefully, playing golf. She brings with her the lessons she learned playing for Sayville High School. "Golf is marked by honor and sportsmanship. It's so important to be honorable and gracious. You can translate that into any discipline," she said.
