43
Wooster commit focused on next qualifier
Carpenter eyes strong finish
By STEVE WILAJ
Kaci Carpenter has a lot on her mind right now.
In addition to graduating from Canfield High in the next few weeks, the Cardinals senior committed to the College of Wooster on Monday to continue her golf career.
She has a simple goal for the second round of the Flynn Automotive Group Junior Greatest Golfer of the Valley tournament on Sunday at Pine Lakes in Hubbard.
“Pretty much to stay focused,” Carpenter said. “Even though I’m going into college, I want to go into college having good scores from my individual season.
“I think the most important thing for me at the Greatest Golfer is to realize that it’s my last time playing in it — and it’s meant a lot to me over the years.
“So I’m really trying to keep focused since this is the tournament I’m paying the most attention to.”
Carpenter, a four-time Greatest Golfer participant, chose Wooster (Division III). Fighting Scots coach Lisa Campanell Komara reached out to her early last year to reel her in.
“I’m extremely excited for it,” Carpenter said. “She just told me to come for a visit and I just fell in love with the campus. I went to a couple colleges after that, but none of them really added up to what I saw at Wooster.”
Her all-time low score at Canfield is a 78, while she also became the first Cardinal in program history to notch a hole-in-one.
However, she struggled last Sunday at Squaw Creek in Vienna in the Greatest Golfer opener, shooting a 94 in the girls U-17 division in cold and snowy conditions.
“I was having a lot of problems with my chipping and putting,” Carpenter said. “The greens were pretty fast and getting wetter as the day went on and it was getting colder.
“So I’m definitely focused on getting my chips up close this week. That’s what I was just practicing and I think that’s gonna be the key for me. If I can get that approach shot close enough where I can chip on and hopefully one-putt, that’s how I’m going to be making pars.”
Fellow Canfield golfer Hannah Keffler placed first in the girls U-17 at Squaw Creek with an 85. She clinched her spot for the championship round on July 22.
In the boys U-17 division, Brian Terlesky defeated Jimmy Graham in a playoff hole after both shot an 83. Bobby Jonda, Anthony Graziano and Michael Butch each shot 84s to finish behind the top two, while Cole Christman took an 85 and Zack Jacobson shot an 87.
Pine Lakes club professional Chris Carfangia said the course is in “fantastic shape.
“I’m very excited,” he said. “I really enjoy how the juniors embrace the greatest golfer event.
“We’ve had a pretty mild winter so the course has been pretty nice. The greens are rolling fast. We didn’t have any damage throughout the winter because we didn’t have much snow. So it’s in fantastic shape right now. It’s firm and fast.”
Play begins on Sunday at 1:15 p.m.
The summer-long Greatest program serves more than 3,000 golfers up to age 80. It is also presented by Farmers National Bank, Superior Beverage, and Covelli Enterprises. Check out www.vindy.com/golf for all events.
Registration for Sunday’s event closes today at 2 p.m.