Golf: Plano's Rylie Loux breaks 40-year-old Cedardell women's mark, joins her dad in record books

Rylie Loux always bonded with her dad, Dave, through golf.

He put a golf club in her hand for the first time when she was just 4 years old. Loux, a four-time state qualifier at Plano, started playing competitively around the eighth grade.

“My dad really pushed me, and he still does,” Loux said.

That family connection is now in the local record books.

Coming off a stellar freshman season for the Illinois Wesleyan women’s golf team, Loux started her summer in style. Loux shot a 1-under par 34 at Cedardell Golf Course in June, breaking Mary Lou Baskovitch’s 40-year-old women’s nine-hole record.

Even better, Loux did so playing in a group with her dad – who holds a share of Cedardell’s 18-hole men’s record.

“I was just focused on hitting fairways and greens – I wasn’t really thinking about hitting the course record,” Loux said. “Just out there with my dad and his friends playing on a Sunday morning. It was all kind of working for me, and I put together a good score.”

Loux was well aware of the record.

Two years ago, she shot a 35 in a high school tie record to tie Baskovitch’s record. After making a par on the eighth hole this time, she looked at her scorecard and realized she needed par for the 34.

“I got up and down for par,” said Loux, who had a round of seven pars and two birdies. “It’s a good way to start the summer.”

As a senior at Plano, Loux finished in ninth place overall at the Class A state tournament, leading the Reapers to 10th place in the team standings.

She tied for second individually in her first college tournament at Illinois Wesleyan. Later last fall Loux took fifth at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin meet at Naperbrook Golf Course in Plainfield for team champion Wesleyan.

For the season, Loux shot her team’s second-lowest average.

“It definitely exceeded my expectations,” said Loux, who is pursuing a degree in elementary school education. “My putting has definitely improved. I struggled with it in the fall a little bit, but this summer I can see a difference. The short game makes a round.”

Loux in June competed again at the Illinois State Women’s Amateur Championship. She shot a 79 in the 18-hole qualifying round at Pine Meadow Golf Club in Mundelein to advance to the championship flight.

In match play there, Loux lost 2-and-1 to Sabrina Bonanno from Norridge Ridgewood.

“She’s one of my good friends,” Loux said. “It was nice to keep up with her and play some of the better competition.”

Loux has one more big summer tournament coming up, the MAJGT Classic at Weibring Golf Club in Normal on July 24-25.

Then it’s back to college, where Wesleyan’s season starts Sept. 2.