JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Sadaly Campbell’s final high school golf match didn’t start out like she wanted.
But by the finish, the homeschooled senior who plays golf at Fernandina Beach put a bow on top with the most memorable ending of her career, a win on a playoff hole for the first championship in Nassau County history.
Campbell, the All-News4JAX Varsity 4 girls golfer of the year, had already experienced so many cool moments on the golf course. She played a season with older sister, Madelyn, in 2021, as the Pirates finished as the team state runner-up. And some of her best memories on the course happened over the final three years with her teammates.
“I was super excited to just have a good time with my teammates, and have the best season that I could,” she said.
The one thing missing was a state title, something that Campbell felt like she had a realistic opportunity to win. She’d played the Mission Inn Resort course at Howey-In-The-Hills multiple times and walked it others. Campbell’s practice rounds before the tournament were her 13th and 14th times playing the course.
Campbell’s tournament didn’t start out with the makings of history. Her drive on the fifth hole is a blind shot and a dogleg left. Campbell went where she thought her ball should have landed but her family pointed to a different spot and another ball. It was a Titleist, just like the one she plays, so she played it. Turns out that it wasn’t Campbell’s ball, and she was given a two-stroke penalty.
Campbell said that she was bummed out for the rest of those nine holes until a teammate of hers surprised her on the turn.
“She’s like my best friend from the team. I love her so much, and that just kind of flipped my mood like I needed to,” she said.
Campbell played her next nine holes even and was shocked to come in that round and see she was tied for the lead at 3 over. Her final day was filled with mixed emotions. Campbell started out on a tear, getting to 3 under before making the turn. On the back nine, Campbell said the emotions started to get to her. She had a large contingent of family and friends and her future coaches at Southeastern following her, and her lead vanished.
“I just started to get really sad because it was my senior year and I was just like, all the memories were going through my head,” Campbell said. “I wanted it to be a great last time on this golf course and then I started bogeying. That was not the best.”
Campbell got into the scoring area and was told that she was headed to a playoff with Miami SLAM Academy’s Dariana Breto. Both finished 3-over 145.
Campbell’s tee shot and then her approach, a 6-iron that she called her best with that club in the tournament, led to a two-putt. Breto missed her par putt and the celebration was on.
“It was a super surreal moment. It was a really amazing tournament,” she said. “I did think it [winning] was possible, but I think my main focus going into this tournament was to just make a really good last impression on this golf course. But it’s funny because my friends, like not even my friends that golf, my friends were just like, ‘hey, do you think you can win?’ And I was like, ‘yes.’ That was my focus.”
All-News4JAX Varsity 4 girls golfers of the year
2024: Sadaly Campbell, Fernandina Beach
2023: Nancy Cox, Ponte Vedra
2022: Alexandra Gazzoli, Matanzas
2021: Anika Richards, Fernandina Beach
2020: Elizabeth Kondal, Bartram Trail
2019: Chloe Schiavone, Bolles
All-News4JAX Varsity 4 girls golf team
Golfer, school, class, notable
Sadaly Campbell, Fernandina Beach, Sr.
All-News4JAX Varsity 4 girls golfer of the year. Lone state champ with 3-over 145 in 2A event. District champ with 3-under 70. T-7th at region with 5-over 76. Southeastern University commit.
Lily Chiang, Stanton, Fr.
Excellent debut season for the Blue Devils. Carded 8-over 150 for 7th in 2A state meet. Region runner-up with 1-under 71. Second at district at 2-over 75.
Sahana Chokshi, Episcopal, So.
District champ (2-over 74) and region champ (2-under 70). T-6 at Class 1A state meet at 3-under 139.
Stella Moritz, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Finished seventh in region meet (2-over 74). District champ with even-par 72. Finished T-26 at 9-over 151 for 26th at 3A state meet.
Elle Reisner, Fernandina Beach, So.
Was 6-over 148 for T-3 at Class 2A state meet. T-5 at region meet (4-over 75).
Second team
Golfer, school, class, notable
Ryan Donaldson, Suwannee, Jr.
Had a 13-over 155 for 16th in 2A state tournament. Region champ at 2-under 69. Has been first-team selection her first two seasons in high school.
Chloe McGrath, Bolles, So.
Shot 11-over 153 for 40th at Class 1A state meet. Fourth at district (8-over 80). Was T-6 at district tournament (7-over 79).
Sofia Rivera, Beachside, So.
Finished T-15 in 3A state tournament at 6-over 148. Had T-3 at region (2-under 70). Fifth at district tournament with 3-over 75.
Anaiya Nahar, Bolles, Sr.
Was T-49th with a 13-over 155 at Class 1A state tournament. T-3 at region (5-over 72). T-5 at district (9-over 81).
Addy Vogt, St. Johns Country Day, Sr.
District runner-up (3-over 75) and fifth at region (6-over 78). Had 10-over 155 for T-49 at Class 1A state tournament.
Honorable mention
Golfer, High school, Class
Lauren Barned, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Aspen Bikowski, Bartram Trail, So.
Chloe Blanc, Fleming Island, Sr.
Grace Breffitt, Bolles, So.
Fiona Clancy, Beachside, Sr.
Alyssa Hardy, Stanton, Jr.
Mila Hubert, Beachside, Fr.
Alexia Iordanov, Beachside, So.
Kitana Naidu, Beachside, Sr.
Shradda Nambiar, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Niharika Naravarjula, Stanton, Sr.
Alison O’Brien, Columbia, Sr.
Riley Powell, Bolles, 8th
Nina Santiago, Ponte Vedra, Fr.
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