Four more qualify at Tamer Win for Greatest Junior tournament finals

Greatest Jr. Golfer

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July 11, 2011 Greatest Jr. Golfer In The Valley at Tamer Win.

Four more qualify at Tamer Win for Greatest Junior tournament finals

By Joe Scalzo

scalzo@vindy.com

CORTLAND

After shooting at least five strokes worse than she felt she should have — thanks in part to four-putting the 17th hole — Kelsey Teaberry had a lengthy list of aggravations over her performance at Monday’s Greatest Golfer of Valley junior qualifier at Tamer Win.

“I didn’t play that great today,” she said. “I had a couple bad putts, some bad club choices. ...”

There was a double bogey on No. 9. (“That was not good.”) And the 7 she shot on a the par-5 No. 17. (“That was just ... that was uncalled for.”)

Oh, and don’t even mention her final score (81).

“I would have definitely liked to shoot a 76 or a 75,” said Teaberry, who will be a senior at Warren JFK this fall.

So, yeah, it was a pretty rotten day — except for the fact that she won the whole tournament by two strokes and qualified for The Vindicator’s junior championship July 31 at Trumbull County Club.

“I definitely entered this to go play at Trumbull,” said Teaberry, who, it should be mentioned, was giggling through most of her complaints. “I think it would be an honor to play in that.”

Poland’s Giana DiBenedetto felt the same way. After shooting an 83 — one off the best 18-round total of her career, regardless of the course — DiBenedetto practically power-walked her way back to the scorer’s table.

“When I got off that last hole, I was freaking out because I knew my score,” said DiBenedetto, who placed second.

After shooting 41 on the front nine, DiBenedetto birdied the par-5 10th, finding the green in three, then sinking a 20-foot putt.

“That’s where it started,” she said.

Her back-nine 42 was actually a stroke better than Teaberry and she even found a positive in making seven on the par-5 12th.

“I was in the trees, which was kind of rough,” she said. “[But] the shade was nice.”

Did she expect to play that well?

“No, I just wanted to play, have fun, no pressure,” she said. “It’s summer. I just play to play.”

Lianna Tucci, who will be a senior at Heartland Christian this fall, fired an 85 to finish third, while Hubbard’s Gina DePasquale shot 87, which tied her for fourth with Howland’s Haleigh Guerrero. DePasquale grabbed the final qualifying spot for the Greatest Golfer tournament by virtue of a scorecard playoff thanks to making a six on 18. (Guerrero made seven.)

Monday’s event doubled as Tamer Win’s annual junior tournament and this was the first time in four years Tucci didn’t go home with a first-place trophy.

Not that she was complaining.

“In the beginning I was doing so good and I don’t know what happened on that last nine,” said Tucci, echoing a common complaint on the 90-degree day. “I could have done better with my score but I’m glad I shot an 85.”

Tucci now sets her sights on Trumbull Country Club. While Teaberry is a former member of Trumbull — “I really like the course,” she said — this will be Tucci’s first round at the country club.

Is she looking to win it?

“Yes, that would be really awesome,” Tucci said. “People would be like, ‘Oh my gosh, can I have your autograph?’”

Tam O’Shanter will hold the final Greatest Golfer qualifier (boys and girls) on July 21. For details, visit Vindy.com/golf/juniors.

Qualifiers can schedule a practice round at Trumbull Country Club by calling John Diana or Seth Zipay at 330-372-5127. Cost is $20.

Also, any golfer that participates in a Greatest qualifier tournament — and graduates in either in 2011 or 2012 — is eligible to apply for a tournament scholarship. Four winners will share in $5,000 and will be selected based on academics, citizenship and golf ability.

Applications are available for download at Vindy.com.