BEAUMONT — Lauren Cox of Little Cypress-Mauriceville finished no lower than fourth place in 10 high school golf tournaments this year. She won eight of them.

Quite fittingly, Cox’s next honor would be the Babe Didrikson Zaharias Girls Player of the Year award, presented during a dinner Thursday night in the Montagne Center’s Cardinal Club Room.

“I practice every day,” said the two-time District 24-4A and current 4A Region III champion, who signed with North Texas. “I try not to get too obsessed with it. I try and play my own game, hope it works out and stay level-headed.”

Cox’s framed medal was just one of four awards, named after the Olympic track champion and golf great, presented by the Babe Zaharias Foundation and the Southern Texas PGA.

Skylar Petroski of Bridge City won the Boys Player of the Year honor, capping a career in which he won the 24-4A title three years in a row.

“It’s an honor to be awarded this award, and I’m definitely grateful to have it,” he said. “With all the other nominees, it definitely did come to a shock to me.”

Port Neches-Groves swept both Character and Leadership Awards, as Brynna Bailey and Blake Thibodaux were so honored.

“I’ve watched my brother react to losses that he definitely didn’t want to experience, but I’ve also seen him go to state four years in a row,” said Bailey, whose brother Braden just competed for Baylor as a freshman in the NCAA Championships. “Just watching him handle himself, it’s inspiring because he always keeps his cool. It doesn’t matter if he triples or quadruples [triple- or quadruple-bogey] a hole, he always keeps his cool and he never shows his anger.

“That’s how I want to be. I want my teammates to be able to look up to me and turn to me if they ever need anything and watch the way I handle myself on the golf course.”

Cox’s fourth-place finish came in the 4A state tournament at Onion Creek Club in Austin, following up a third-place run from the previous season.

“I like the golf course where we play state,” she said. “I think I prepared myself. We play in a lot of competitive tournaments across the state. I was able to keep my nerves down and play my best.”

The only other tournament Cox didn’t win was at Brentwood Golf Course on March 23. She set a school record of 69, breaking the old mark set in 1992 by one stroke.

Petroski won his third district championship by 14 strokes this season and finished in the top 20 at the state tourney. He was rewarded with a scholarship to Louisiana-Lafayette.

“I just stay confident and know I can do it,” Petroski said, asked about his dominance in the district.

Thibodaux helped PNG win the District 22-5A team title, where he finished sixth individually.

“Other coaches recognizing how I am on and off the golf course, it’s just a great feeling,” he said.

Finalists for Girls Player of the Year included Karlei Hemler and Bailey of PNG and Abbie Crawford of Buna. Boys Player of the Year candidates included Josh Elmore and Tyler Feemster of PNG and William Miller of Kelly.

Character and Leadership Award finalists were Escarly Candelaria of Ozen, Cox and Bailey; and Jake Woods of West Brook and Bailey Holt of Silsbee.

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I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews