Golf: Alexa Trapani expands lead to 15 shots after second round of UCWGA at Green Acres

Posted by Admin July 27, 2024 Golf

KINGSTON, N.Y. — Marlboro High freshman golf star Alexa Trapani survived one bad hole and lightning-fast greens Saturday, July 27, at Green Acres Golf Course to build a 15-shot lead over Kim Hines heading into Sunday’s final round of the Ulster County Women’s Golf Association (UCWGA) Championship at Wiltwyck Golf Club.

Trapani finished with an 8-over-par 80 for the lowest round in the 13-woman Championship Flight. Three-time champion Hines closed with an 86 and faces a herculean task if she is to catch the 14-year-old Trapani, who is playing in the UCWGA Championship Flight for the first time.

Kathy Murphy tees off on the par-5 fifth hole during the second round of the Ulster County Women’s Golf Association Championship at Green Acres Golf Course in Kingston, N.Y., on Saturday, July 27, 2024. (Rick Remsnyder/Daily Freeman)

Trapani, who began the second round with a nine-shot lead over Hines following a first-round 73 at Apple Greens Golf Course on Friday, was cruising along at 2-over-par through her first eight holes Saturday until two drives off the short par-4 ninth hole found a pond that is in front of the tee. She ended up scrambling to make a quadruple-bogey 8 and turned in 6-over 42. She settled down on the back with a 2-over 38 that included an eagle on the par-5 13th hole after reaching the green in two.

“I felt I had a decent round except for the 8 obviously,” Trapani said. “I kept the pars going and on the holes I couldn’t get a par on I made bogeys. I also had two birdies and an eagle today.”

Trapani’s first birdie came when she drove the 240-yard par-4 second hole and two-putted for birdie. She drove it over the green on the 238-yard par-4 sixth hole and got up and down for another birdie.

Probably Trapani’s most impressive effort was the eagle she made on the par-5 13th hole. After a long drive left her 90 yards from the putting surface, her wedge trickled to the bottom of the severely sloped green.

“It was about 15 feet with a foot of break,” Trapani said of her putt. “I was really hoping that it would go in and it did.”

The Green Acres’ greens were rolling at about 11.5 on the Stimpmeter, according to owner Brian Bonesteel.

Trapani said she’d never seen them faster. She played in last year’s UIster County Junior Girls Championship at Green Acres and has had several practice rounds there over the last two years.

“The greens were so fast today,” she said. “Usually the greens are slower. And when the pin is on a slope, it’s 10 times faster. It’s like you’re putting on concrete sometimes because it’s so fast.”

Hines agreed with Trapani that the green speed was off the charts.

“Brian (Bonesteel) always has the course in great shape,” Hines said. “I totally expected it. The greens: Wow. Fast. It was just playing tough. I think what got me is I just couldn’t get my chips to do what I wanted them to do. They kept rolling out. The course is great. It just got us.”

Trapani (80-153) said the last thing on her mind will be thinking about how she’s doing against Hines (86-168) or anyone else in the field during Sunday’s final round. She’ll be grouped with Hines, Kathy Murphy (88-177) and former UCWGA winner Ellen Densen (88-178) at 10:30 a.m. in the final pairing at Wiltwyck Golf Club.

“I’ll just try to play my game tomorrow and do my best,” Trapani said. “That’s all I can do.”

The low score of the day belonged to Katlynn Smith of Palenville in Greene County in the four-girl Junior Flight. She shot a 3-over 75 on a course that was considerably shorter than the one those competing in the Championship Flight played. As a resident of Greene County, she isn’t eligible for the UCWGA title.

The juniors and the nine women in the First Flight are competing over 36 holes of the 54-hole tournament.

Scores in Saturday’s second round of the UCWGA Championship at Green Acres Golf Course in Kingston, N.Y.