Zach Johnson prides himself on his driver, what he considers his most trusted club in the bag.
But his best shot Wednesday came after an awry shot off the tee.
The Oswego East senior’s ball ended up behind a shed on the 534-yard par 5 18th hole at the Wedgewood Country Club.
“I hit a 4 iron over the shed to set myself up for a birdie, and ended up making birdie,” Johnson said, “which was awesome.”
Johnson’s awesome season continues.
He shot a 3-under par 68 for second place by one shot behind medalist Isaac Rumler of Moline.
Oswego East, likewise, as a team took second behind Moline, and with third-place Oswego advanced to sectionals out of the Class 3A Plainfield Central Regional.
A week after winning the Southwest Prairie Conference championship, Johnson was razor-sharp. He made par on 15 of 18 holes with three birdies, and it started with his biggest club.
“Driver is definitely my most confident club,” Johnson said. “Hitting fairways was the biggest key today. If you miss the fairways here there is always a tree that’s going to be in your way. But if you can keep it on the fairways, for the most part, you have a great shot of getting it on the green.”
Johnson, a repeat sectional qualifier, has been money all year for Oswego East coach Jim Vera, the SPC MVP with a 35.09 9-hole average.
“He is having an unbelievable year. This is all him, all his work in the offseason,” Vera said. “He committed to golf, he had plans for himself and he’s just killing it.
“That shot from behind the house, you tell people when you coach them that’s what great players do. How many kids have you seen behind the house try to punch out? He put it right there almost on the green.”
Oswego East shot a 298, behind Moline’s 294 with Oswego at 303 advancing teams. The Wolves did it even with returning sectional qualifier Logan Hong posting an 81.
Casey Wiencek shot a 72 for fourth and Brayden Rusin a 77.
“It would have been great to win a regional but I just wanted them to get out,” Vera said. “They’re so good and they’re so deep. Logan was way off today and Jack [Malm] was way off but Casey stepped up.”
Oswego, meanwhile, is sending a team to sectionals for the first time in almost a decade with its 303 that edged Plainfield North’s 307.
Carter Anderson shot Oswego’s low round of 71 for third, and Declan Chavez and Chase Knutson each shot 76 to tie for sixth.
“We have a good team. We didn’t play our best,” Oswego coach Chad Pohlmann said. “In a practice round here on Monday we shot a 294 which was the winning score. But we have a good team and it’s good to get through.”
Anderson rode a steady putter that didn’t require any three putts to his round of 71.
On the par 3 15th hole he went long – “where you should never go long” – but chipped in and made a clutch putt to save par.
“Just was pacing those putts out, counting, walking how far it was,” Anderson said. “On the practice green I was doing the same thing so I was ready when I got out there.”
Plainfield North, while not advancing its team, will have four individuals at next Monday’s sectional at East Moline’s Short Hills Country Club.
Marco Mazzuca, Evan Lee and Sam Espinosa each shot a 76. Patrick Cosgrove shot a 79.
Mazzuca, a senior qualifying for sectionals for the first time, overcame a couple tough holes, including a triple bogey on No. 12 when his ball went out of bounds.
He came back with a birdie on No. 14.
“Forgot about it, kept moving forward,” Mazzuca said. “Qualifying for sectionals was a goal of mine. Just wanted to get there.”
Yorkville is sending three to sectionals: Max Homerding with a 76, Carter Humbers with his 78 and Ian Saar an 81.
Homerding just took up golf last season. He shot an 87 in regionals at Short Hills last year, but will be returning there as a sectional qualifier.
“Just a lot of dedication, last two months really honing in,” Homerding said. “I was playing baseball up until sophomore year and I thought I might as well play a sport I enjoy playing. Bounced around sports, started golf junior year and I just loved it.”
Other individuals qualifying included Plainfield South’s Jonah Powell (78) and Gavin Baxa (78) and Plainfield Central’s Anthony Battaglia (79).