Largo High Star Rolls To Junior Tourney Win
A young golfer from Belleair, Andrea Messer , overwhelmed the field at last week's Innisbrook Christmas Junior Classic.
Messer, 14, captured the girls 14-18 division of the 54-hole tournament by 10 strokes. Playing the famous Copperhead course, she put together rounds of 1-over 72, 80 and 73 for a 225.
The field included a couple of nationally ranked juniors from the state, including runnerup Jessica Yadloczky (36th) of Casselberry and defending champion Dolores White (43rd) of Lakeland, who finished fourth with rounds of 80-78-80-238. Messer's high school teammate and practice partner, Evan Jensen , took third with rounds of 76-82-78-236.
Messer said the key to her win was driving accurately and hitting irons onto the undulating greens.
"That first round of 72 did a lot for my confidence," said Messer, a homeschooled ninth-grader who played on the boys team with Jensen at Largo High. "I didn't get nervous knowing I was in the lead. I didn't feel any pressure." Messer, a Times all-county second-teamer this past season, and the other players ran into cold and windy weather on the second day. But even with the 80, which included a quadruple bogey, Messer increased her lead from four strokes to six. "I really wanted to shoot well that last day to prove I was better than an 80," Messer said. "I went for the pin on Monday (the final day) and was able to make three birdies. But I'm going to have to work more on my long putts. I missed a couple of them badly, which led to three-putts."
Messer has elevated her game during the past four years while working with Jim Slattery , the head pro at Belleair Country Club. The emphasis of his instruction has been on her swing.
Largo High coach Bill Schroeder , who attended two of the three rounds, said Messer takes the game seriously and is intent on doing well.
"Both Andrea and Evan are very businesslike in their approach to the game," said Schroeder, who has been coaching for 36 years. "They don't like to make mistakes. Another thing that helped Andrea is her fondness for the Copperhead course.
"That positive attitude helped her throughout. That and the fact that playing on the high school boys team, where she was the No.2 scorer, was also beneficial." Messer said she plans to continue practicing almost every day at her club, Belleview Biltmore, with her new Cleveland clubs with a goal of having a better year in 2005.
"I hope to qualify for the state tournament next year and make the Times all-county first team," Messer said.
"I'm having a lot of fun with the game. I'm glad my dad (Dennis) got me into it."
Clearwater's Dakoda Dowd , a member of Northside Christian's state championship team and a Times all-county first-teamer this past fall, tied for second (79-77-156) in the girls 13-18 division, ahead of Seminole's Rachel Edwards , a second-teamer for the Warhawks, (78-74-162) and Dunedin's Justine Knox (87-79-166).
David Palm of Jacksonville won the boys 14-18 division by six strokes over Cameron Knight of Dade City. Palm sandwiched a 2-under 69 between rounds of 73 and 74.
Linzy Clark III of Tarpon Springs also won at the Junior Classic. He shot a first-round 76 to take a three-stroke lead then held on despite shooting 81 in Sunday's bad conditions.
MORE JUNIORS: Dunedin's Preston Knox tied for second at the Florida State Golf Association's Christmas Classic at the Plantation Inn in Crystal River, posting rounds of 76-75-151.
He finished two ahead of Clearwater's P.J. Kolosvary , the Times 2004 county player of the year. Knox earned 120 points for the season to win the 12-14 age division.
Messer, 14, captured the girls 14-18 division of the 54-hole tournament by 10 strokes. Playing the famous Copperhead course, she put together rounds of 1-over 72, 80 and 73 for a 225.
The field included a couple of nationally ranked juniors from the state, including runnerup Jessica Yadloczky (36th) of Casselberry and defending champion Dolores White (43rd) of Lakeland, who finished fourth with rounds of 80-78-80-238. Messer's high school teammate and practice partner, Evan Jensen , took third with rounds of 76-82-78-236.
Messer said the key to her win was driving accurately and hitting irons onto the undulating greens.
"That first round of 72 did a lot for my confidence," said Messer, a homeschooled ninth-grader who played on the boys team with Jensen at Largo High. "I didn't get nervous knowing I was in the lead. I didn't feel any pressure." Messer, a Times all-county second-teamer this past season, and the other players ran into cold and windy weather on the second day. But even with the 80, which included a quadruple bogey, Messer increased her lead from four strokes to six. "I really wanted to shoot well that last day to prove I was better than an 80," Messer said. "I went for the pin on Monday (the final day) and was able to make three birdies. But I'm going to have to work more on my long putts. I missed a couple of them badly, which led to three-putts."
Messer has elevated her game during the past four years while working with Jim Slattery , the head pro at Belleair Country Club. The emphasis of his instruction has been on her swing.
Largo High coach Bill Schroeder , who attended two of the three rounds, said Messer takes the game seriously and is intent on doing well.
"Both Andrea and Evan are very businesslike in their approach to the game," said Schroeder, who has been coaching for 36 years. "They don't like to make mistakes. Another thing that helped Andrea is her fondness for the Copperhead course.
"That positive attitude helped her throughout. That and the fact that playing on the high school boys team, where she was the No.2 scorer, was also beneficial." Messer said she plans to continue practicing almost every day at her club, Belleview Biltmore, with her new Cleveland clubs with a goal of having a better year in 2005.
"I hope to qualify for the state tournament next year and make the Times all-county first team," Messer said.
"I'm having a lot of fun with the game. I'm glad my dad (Dennis) got me into it."
Clearwater's Dakoda Dowd , a member of Northside Christian's state championship team and a Times all-county first-teamer this past fall, tied for second (79-77-156) in the girls 13-18 division, ahead of Seminole's Rachel Edwards , a second-teamer for the Warhawks, (78-74-162) and Dunedin's Justine Knox (87-79-166).
David Palm of Jacksonville won the boys 14-18 division by six strokes over Cameron Knight of Dade City. Palm sandwiched a 2-under 69 between rounds of 73 and 74.
Linzy Clark III of Tarpon Springs also won at the Junior Classic. He shot a first-round 76 to take a three-stroke lead then held on despite shooting 81 in Sunday's bad conditions.
MORE JUNIORS: Dunedin's Preston Knox tied for second at the Florida State Golf Association's Christmas Classic at the Plantation Inn in Crystal River, posting rounds of 76-75-151.
He finished two ahead of Clearwater's P.J. Kolosvary , the Times 2004 county player of the year. Knox earned 120 points for the season to win the 12-14 age division.
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