There was no horseplay the night before the WPIAL Class AA Girls Golf Championships Monday for Freeport junior Audrey Clawson.

Clawson broke her ring finger on her left hand when she missed catching a beach ball the night before last year's tournament.

She opted for safer entertainment options last Sunday.

“I stayed inside, did homework and watched the Ryder Cup,” Clawson said. “There were no balls inside.”

Playing pain-free, Clawson overcame a slow start to shoot a 10-over par 82 and placed second at Willowbrook Country Club to earn a berth in the PIAA Western Regional.

That will be played Oct. 14 at Tom's Run in Blairsville.

Clawson was the only Butler County golfer who moved on.

In Class AAA, Mars freshman Natalie Walsh missed qualifying by one stroke. She shot a 9-over par 81.

Walsh's teammate, Bridget Merten finished 17th and Butler's Hannah Folk came in 28th.

Clawson finished one stroke behind Greensburg Central Catholic's Olivia Zambruno.

It was a long climb back to the top of the leaderboard after Clawson registered a 7 and 6 on holes No. 10 and 11, putting her 5-over.

“I don't want to say that I laughed it off, but I had to laugh and say 'Did I just do that?'” Clawson said. “I just focused on the next 16 holes. I knew I couldn't replay the last two holes or go back and change what happened.”

Clawson, despite her slow start, was tied with Zambruno with three holes to play.

Zambruno birdied the 16th to pull ahead.

“She was in my group and the scorekeeper checked online and I asked him where I was at,” Clawson said. “When she went 1 up on 16, I knew she had me because the last two holes aren't the easiest.”

Clawson is happy that she got to use all 10 fingers to hit the ball this year. She's anxious to get another shot at states.

“I just wanted to come out and shoot a good score,” Clawson said. “Winning is a bonus in my mind, but it's still disappointing to come up one stroke short.”