Teen leads at women’s provincials

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This article was published 02/07/2019 (2601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SELKIRK – Greer Valaquenta is just 19, but she made some big waves Tuesday on the first day of Golf Manitoba’s Women’s Amateur Championship at Selkirk Golf & Country Club.

The teen finished her day at 2 over par, four strokes ahead of the second-place competitor.

“Front nine was a little tough, but I pulled it together and got the back nine done nicely, so I’m happy with it,” said Valaquenta, who had nines of 40 and 33 to finish with a 73.

On the 18th hole, it only took Valaquenta one nice, curved putt on the green to get her ball in the hole. She birdied three times in her back nine to pull ahead of the pack.

The Southwood member only began playing competitive golf four years ago, but she’s no stranger to competitive sports. The teen played tennis growing up, but injured her foot and had to leave the sport behind. Valaquenta said that’s when she found golf — and she’s happy she did.

“I love the camaraderie. It’s a lot different from tennis. Even though there’s a competitive edge here, people are actually rooting for each other instead of against each other.”

Valaquenta said golf has also been a fantastic way to make long-lasting friendships. She was home-schooled her whole life, spending time living in Florida and Winnipeg.

“It’s fun actually (being home-schooled), you get to make your own schedule and work it around sports.”

This is Valaquenta’s first year of eligibility to compete in the women’s amateur tournament. It’s her first time competing in an event of this magnitude, but she hopes to place high enough to make the provincial team.

The women will play two more rounds over the next two days. The top three finishers will be named to Team Manitoba and represent the province at the national amateur championship in Red Deer, Alta, later this month.

While Valaquenta is new to this level of play, Marissa Naylor, the Pine Ridge golfer in second place, is not.

Naylor is the captain for the University of Manitoba’s women’s golf team and won the Manitoba Women’s Amateur Championship in 2017.

She fired a 6-over par 77 (35-42) and hopes to improve her score over the next two days.

“Front was definitely better than the back nine, I just didn’t hit as many greens, and then when I had to sinks putts they weren’t falling,” Naylor said.

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Naylor was originally third in Tuesday’s play, but was bumped into second place after the disqualification of 19-year-old golfer Bobbi Uhl. Uhl had finished +4 on the opening day, but couldn’t be reached for comment when the evening’s final results came in reporting that she had been disqualified.

In an email, Lisa Andersen, Golf Manitoba’s director of competitions, said “I do (know why she was disqualified), but I prefer that stays out of general knowledge unless she says anything about it.”

The remaining 22 golfers will continue the tournament today and wrap up their final 18 holes on Thursday.

devon.shewchuk@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @devonshewchuk