By: Jonathan Szczepaniak | Birmingham-Bloomfield Eagle | Published October 26, 2022
BLOOMFIELD HILLS — Bloomfield Hills High School senior Brooke Bugajewski finished 25th at the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division One Golf State Finals after tallying a two-round score of 169 at Bedford Valley Oct. 15.
Bugajewski made the state finals all four years at Bloomfield Hills, three with the team, but said it was a different feeling going as an individual state finalist.
“It was definitely sad not having your team cheering you on, but a lot of teams took me in as an honorary player, like Rochester Adams and Rochester,” Bugajewski said. “It was definitely a different experience.”
Bugajewski’s journey to the state finals was as memorable as one could be. As Bloomfield Hills competed in the Region Five Championship at Metamora Country Club, Bugajewski shot an 82 to secure the final individual spot for states, or so she thought.
As she went to put her clubs away, she was notified that Oxford junior Ellie Gieselman birdied the final hole to force a playoff.
“The whole field of 60 girls and their coaches and parents were watching us, so it was definitely different,” Bugajewski said.
While Bloomfield Hills didn’t qualify as a team, they were there to cheer on their teammate.
Bugajewski, who said she was on the verge of tears, calmed her nerves with the help of coaches, and won the playoff with a par.
“When I was out there, it was literally beyond television,” Bugajewski said. “All the girls were out there cheering me on.”
While Bugajewski prepared for the state finals, Bloomfield Hills coach Brendan Harrington, in his 19th year as coach, was preparing to resign after the 2022 season.
Unbeknownst to the team, Harrington’s final year would end in a special moment between him and Bugajewski on the course.
“It honestly was probably the best way I could’ve ended anything; Brooke is always someone who liked me walking with her, and Brooke is one of my favorite girls I’ve ever coached,” Harrington said. “Brooke is the babysitter of my kids the last few years and one of my favorite kids to coach, and to be able to walk with her and talk to her about certain shots was just a great way to end it.”
Bugajewski was consistent with her play during the state finals as she shot 84 and 85, respectively.
She said she had one goal in mind during the finals.
“I just really wanted to shoot in the top-25 girls, because that’s what I did last year,” Bugajewski said. “I really wanted to shoot well at regionals, but state finals was just a bonus.”
While her iron play was effective, it seemed like every putt was just missing for Bugajewski over the weekend.
“It was painful, honestly, as a spectator, but even as a golfer too,” Harrington said. “I kept telling her that she was rolling good putts and they were going to fall, but as they kept lipping it was almost comical.”
Bugajewski reached her goal and gave coach Harrignton a memorable moment in the process, but Bugajewski said there was one thing about her time at Bloomfield Hills that was special.
“Going into it, I didn’t even think I was even going to make it into states,” Bugajewski said. “To go all four years was really special for me.”