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Durant Junior Aims At Title

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By DAREK SHARP, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 27, 2007

PLANT CITY - Amy West doesn't let herself feel much pressure. That approach worked for her Monday.

The Durant junior knew she needed to shoot a low score to make the state golf tournament. What she didn't know is one of the girls playing in her group came close to taking West's spot.

West needed one of two lowest scores at the Region 2A-4 tournament at Heritage Isles Golf Club in New Tampa. She did just that, shooting a 1-over-par 73.

For the first time, West gets the chance to play for a state title. The Class 2A tournament will begin Tuesday at The Club at Eaglebrooke in Lakeland.

Wharton's Shena Young was the runaway individual regional winner with a 67.

Sickles freshman Alexandra Milan was one shot behind West. But West said she wasn't worried about Milan's score when they were playing.

'I wasn't nervous at all, at least until the last hole,' West said. 'None of that, worrying about this putt or that putt - if it might make the difference - even entered my head. But on the last hole, I said I needed to get my stuff together.'

That was because West began to falter on the back nine. She was cruising along, threatening to hang with Young's score, at 3 under par through 10 holes. But on the final eight holes, West pulled her drive left three times, and each one was deemed unplayable. That cost West three two-shot penalties.

She got bogeys on two of those, meaning she played the hole in birdie fashion. However, on the 14th there was no such recovery and West double-bogeyed.

Because West played in the first group, it made for more than a two-hour wait as other scores came in.

Durant was unable to make a return to the state tournament as a team. Freshman Erika Wardzinski was second best on the squad with an 88, followed by Kerrie Reinhardt, 99, and Samantha Crandall, 115.

The overall score of 375 was 11 shots higher than third-place Sickles. The Cougars had to settle for sixth place.

Heather Wengyn's presence was sorely missed. The Durant junior has a knee and wrist injury that kept her off the course. The top two schools qualified for the state tournament, and though it's unlikely Durant would have matched Wharton's 337 with Wengyn, clearly second-place Plant (357) was within reach.

Conditions were tough Monday with temperatures in the low 90s and not much wind. West said she is used to competing in tournaments year-round.

'I think this past weekend was the first one I took off in a few months,' she said.

She wasn't always so involved. As a freshman, West was just beginning, shooting in the high 50s for nine holes.

Her improvement has been dramatic, even since last year's regional tournament when she shot an 88.

West's advantage over a lot of the field is her distance off the tee. She can reach most par-5 holes in two shots.

'She can drive some par 4s,' said Durant golf coach Dick Sheffield. 'And another thing she has is a great passion for the sport.'

Sheffield and West will make the trip to Lakeland for the two-day state tournament. Golfers must play 36 holes for the first time in the high school season.

The first round is Tuesday and the action concludes Wednesday. The 2A boys' tournament is at Bridgewater in Lakeland. Both 1A events will be in the Haines City area.

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