Morales Shows Poise in Symetra Tour Event

Nicole Morales took another important step toward achieving her lifelong dream of playing golf professionally today when she finished a quite respectable T-40 in the Symetra Tour's IOA Golf Classic at Alacqua Country Club. Her 74/71/72/217 was four over par for the storm-delayed three-round event.

In an interview after her second round--played with high-profile Cheyenne Woods--Morales said,

"It has been a dream come true, playing with the people here. It's great to compare myself with these players. My ambition is to play professionally so seeing my game against theirs is great."

Aside from a few mishaps on the tight, tree-lined course, the youngster's game held up well. She hit 24 of 39 fairways and 52% of her greens in regulation. Her putting was a serviceable 26 putts per round.

The South Salem teen moved to Florida for her final year of high school so she can compete year-round while working with her mentor Cheryl Anderson. Next year, she's off to the University of Alabama. This was her second Symetra Tour event.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Nicole Morales to Test Her Game Against the Pros

photo courtesy of Ping Jr. Solheim Cup

Former Westchester resident Nicole Morales was given a sponsor exemption for the Symetra Tour’s Insurance Office of America Golf Classic at Alaqua Country Club in Longwood, FL, March 28-30. Morales moved to Florida from South Salem to work with her mentor, Cheryl Anderson, in her last year before heading off to the University of Alabama. The two struck up a winning relationship when Anderson was a teaching pro at Wykagyl CC in New Rochelle.

In a statement from the Symetra Tour, Morales said, “This is the opportunity that I have been dreaming for,” said Morales.  “I’ve been really working hard this year, I moved down to Florida for my senior year of high school so that I can train for that next level so when I found out I was so ecstatic.”

She will be part of a 144-player field competing for a share of a $100,000 purse in the event.

Morales is the top-ranked player nationally on the Golfweek/Sagarin Junior Rankings.  She also is ranked No. 2 in the American Junior Golf Association's Polo rankings and No. 27 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

“This event is so close to my home, it is literally ten minutes from our apartment and it is exactly the place where I’d love to start out,” said Morales, who trains with Volvik Championship winner Kim Kaufman.  “I want to see where I can compare myself to the women on the Symetra Tour.”

The IOA Golf Classic will mark Morales’ second career Symetra Tour event.  She was a sponsor exemption at the 2012 Credit Union Challenge in Albany, N.Y.  Morales made the cut and finished T30 as a then 15-year-old.

Morales has proven herself as a star on the amateur circuit.  She won the 2013 AJGA Thunderbird Invitational, her second career amateur victory.  Last year, she also finished third at the Dixie Amateur, T4 at the AJGA Ping Invitational, T4 at the Duke of Young Champions Trophy and T4 at the Rolex Tournament of Champions.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Morales Shows Strong in First Links Test

Nicole Morales at Royal St. George's    photo courtesy of the DOY.

Nicole Morales, the 17-year-old standout playing out of GlenArbor GC, was the highest-finishing girl player and tied for fourth overall in the Duke of York Young Champions Trophy played at Royal St. George's in Sandwich, England this week. Boys and girls compete for the same trophy in this event. Her 221 total strokes for three rounds over the British Open venue represents another stellar performance for her this year.

Morales carded 75-76-70 during her first try at links golf. "It was very tough, very windy. I found it was a mental grind, especially as I have never played links style golf before," said Morales. “On the whole I played very well. It was all about staying patient and never giving up. You can hit a great shot but one wrong bounce and the ball can go anywhere. I guess that’s links golf.

The invitational tournament featured a field of 55 boys and girls aged 18 and under who are either national champions or have won a significant event. This year, 31 countries were represented. Morales won the Thunderbird International Girls Championship in May. The winner was Italian Guido Migliozzi.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Hot Tournament Week For Local Standouts

It's been a busy week for local standout golfers at championship tournaments across the country.

Cameron Young at US Junior Amateur Championship
photo by USGA/Steve Gibbons

Just a few minutes ago, Cameron Young advanced to the Quarter Finals in the US Junior Amateur Championship in a 24-hole match that was delayed by weather yesterday afternoon. He defeated George Cunningham of Tucson, AZ, with a birdie on the sixth playoff hole in what was (so far) the longest match of the tournament this week.

Young, 16, tees off against Doug Ghim or Arlington Heights, IL, in the Quarter Final match that will be telecast by Golf Channel midday. The championship is being held at Martis Camp Club in Truckee, CA. Eliminated in the round of 16 was Jim Liu, 17, or Smithtown, NY, was won the event in 2010 and was last year's runner up.

Yesterday, Burning Tree Assistant Pro and mini tour player Danny Balin won his second consecutive NY State Open at Bethpage Black. The 31-year old finished the three rounds seven under par, two ahead of Andrew Guiliani, and pocketed $17,500 in the process.

Nicole Morales, the 16-year-old  from South Salem who plays out of GlenArbor, got nipped one down in the round of 32 at the US Girls' Junior Amateur Championship. Bethany Wu of Diamond Bar, California eliminated Morales.

Max Buckley and Cameron Wilson two under after two rounds and were T-14 at the Porter Cup at Niagara Falls when play in the three-round tournament resumed this morning. Mike Miller was at even par. US Walker Cup Captain Jim Holtgrieve is scouting the tournament as the committee prepares to fill out the final five spots on the American side for the biennial event against Great Britain and Ireland.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Morales and Young Advance to Match Play in Jr Ams

Both Nicole Morales of South Salem and Cameron Young of Scarborough moved through two rounds of medal play to win spots in the six-round match play sections of the US Junior Girls' Amateur and US Junior Amateur Championships staged by the USGA.  Now the real fun begins as each of the youngsters spends four days on the edge in the single-elimination rounds.

Young took second in the medal rounds, finishing with a two-round total of 138 by adding a two-under 70 to his first-round 68. Young made an eagle on the par-5 10th when he sank an 80-foot putt that broke left to right over a ridge. He made up for a hooked 3-wood at the par-4 16th with a 20-foot putt for birdie and ended the round with a 7-foot par putt on No. 18.

“I played really well yesterday but not quite as strong today,” said Young, who added that he is comfortable with the course and has a good feel for his distance at the 6,000-foot altitude. “I will be more aggressive tomorrow, take on more bunkers off the tee, and go at a lot more flagsticks.”

 Jim Liu, 17, of Smithtown, N.Y., shot a 5-under-par 67 on Tuesday to earn medalist honors for the second consecutive year in the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at the par-72, 7,740-yard Martis Camp Club. Liu, who carded a 69 in the first round, finished at 8-under 136.

Liu, who shared medalist honors with two other players at last year’s U.S. Junior Amateur, becomes the third player in the championship’s history to twice earn the stroke-play medal, joining Willie Wood and Tiger Woods. Liu fashioned a bogey-free second round, one stroke off the course record.

Morales, like the rest of the field in the Junior Girls' Am at Sycamore Hills Golf Club in Fort Wayne, Indiana, struggled with the wind and shot a four-over 76 to go with her first-day score of 69 for a T-11 145. Tuesday’s steady winds wreaked havoc with scores, with the field average at 79.19, up nearly two strokes from Monday’s 77.37. Only six players managed under-par rounds on Tuesday, as opposed to 16 on Monday. Bailey Tardy posted two 69s to earn medalist honors

Nine players competed for the final match-play spot, with Abbey Carlson earning the 64th seed on the second playoff hole. In a wonderful display of sportsmanship, Morales finished her round, then caddied for Carlson in the playoff.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Strong Starts for Young and Morales at Jr Ams

Cameron Young     Photo courtesy USGA/Steve Gibbons

Cameron Young and Nicole Morales posted strong first round scores in the US Junior Amateur and US Girls' Junior Championships. While it's way early to celebrate in both events, the Westchester teens are in excellent positions.

Young, the 16-year-old son of Sleepy Hollow CC pro David Young and his wife Barbara, a former pro herself, was just one behind the leaders in the 156-player field at the par-72, 7,740-yard Martis Camp Club. with a 4-under 68. He started on the 10th hole and birdied No. 14 before making eagle at No. 15 when he hit a 4-iron 240 yards to 2 feet. Young kept his round going by getting up and down for par at No. 11 and two-putting from 65 feet for another save at the 218-yard, par-3 third.

“I am playing conservatively off the tee,” said Young, who took three weeks off in June to recover from a shoulder injury. “I am picking my spots when I am going at flagsticks and at the middle of greens.”

Jim Liu, the 2010 U.S. Junior Amateur champion, was just one stroke back with a 3-under 69. Liu, 17, of Smithtown, N.Y., who is playing in his fifth Junior Amateur and was the runner-up last year, had it to 5-under after 15 holes but bogeyed Nos. 16 and 18. He pulled his driver to the left on the 16th, a drivable par-4, and his chip went over the green. Liu lipped out a 6-foot par putt on his final hole.

“It was a good score; you have to feel somewhat decent about it,” Liu said. “You are trying not to dig a hole for yourself. It starts all over in match play.”

Scottie Scheffler, 17, of Dallas, and Corey Eddings, 17, of Roseville, Calif., fired rounds of 5-under-par 67 Monday to share the lead on the first day of stroke-play qualifying. One more day of stroke play will be followed by match play that culminates in the final round Saturday.

Nicole Morales
Photo courtesy USGA/Fred Vuich

Nicole Morales, was T4 in the first round of the Girls' Amateur being played this week at Sycamore Hills GC in Fort Wayne, IN. Morales, who plays out of GlenArbor GC in Bedford, NY, was one of seven players who carded a 69 on the 6,312-yard Nicklaus designed course. 

Morales, a native of South Salem, N.Y., looked to her Junior PGA experiences to bolster her championship efforts, but for far different reasons that most of her competitors. After numerous flight delays, an unforeseen overnight stay in Atlanta and a set of golf clubs that arrived in Fort Wayne after she did, Morales was unable to practice at Sycamore Hills prior to her Monday-morning tee time.

“I feel like I was very patient with myself all day,” said Morales, who will attend the University of Alabama in the fall. “I gave myself a lot of opportunities.”

Morales had to get up and down just to save par on the par-4 first hole. With that opening scare behind her, the 17-year-old, competing in her fifth and final Girls’ Junior, converted birdies on the ensuing two holes and cruised from there.

“I felt really confident, which is exactly the opposite of what I felt like going into this week,” said Morales, winner of the 2013 Thunderbird International Junior and No. 12 in the WWAGR. “This is my last U.S. Girls’ Junior, so I’m going to try and go for big.”

Andrea Lee shot a 5-under-par 67 and holds a one-stroke lead following Monday’s first round of stroke-play qualifying. Another round of stroke play today will narrow the field for match play, with the final scheduled for Saturday.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf