This year’s group of Frontier League girls golf representatives at the Section 3 tournament are hoping to open the door for the next generation.
Three FL golfers will tee off at today’s 18-hole Section 3 state qualifier at Kanon Valley Country Club in Oneida. Indian River senior Kelsey Plath, Immaculate Heart Central senior Skylar Barber. Lyme senior Malena Stevenson and Watertown sophomore Claire Draper will try to book their place in the state tournament slated for June 3-5 at the Edison Country Club in Rexford.
Girls golf has offered a state championship for individuals since 2006 and a team championship since 2018.
Plath is the first golfer to represent Indian River at the tournament. The Warriors revived its program last season and Plath has been one of the team’s top golfers. Indian River head coach Julie Burgess said playing against boys has helped the trio get ready for today’s event.
“I think all of these golfers are ready for the tournament because they play against boys and those golfers help push them,” Burgess said. “I think all ... of them are strong players.”
Barber is making her second trip to the qualifying round after reaching the 2022 event with teammate Samantha Booth. She took up the sport after the loss of IHC’s softball program, and became a quick learner in golf.
“I played a little bit, but I was surprised I took to it pretty well,” Barber said.
Draper is looking to follow in the footsteps of her older sister, Jillian. Jillian Draper won last year’s Section 3 qualifier and was the first Frontier League girls golfer to reach the state tournament. Claire Draper has played in a number of tournaments in the Central New York area.
“Jillian winning last year’s tournament was a pretty big deal, but I think Claire is going to do some pretty good things herself,” Barber said.
Girls golfers have helped many Frontier League teams help fill out rosters in recent seasons. Both the recently revived Indian River and Carthage programs have a number of female players on their respective rosters. Established programs like General Brown and Lyme have usually featured a number of girls players in the lineup.
“You always think of people going out for basketball and other sports, but never for golf,” Plath said. “I think we can show that girls can be good if they just go out and practice.”
There’s hope of a larger Frontier League girls tournament that will happen soon. However, Burgess said there will be a small event May 31 at Willowbrook Golf Club in Watertown. The Frontier League tournament will take place the day before at Thousand Islands Country Club on Wellesley Island. However, Burgess said the Willowbrook event will be open to all girls golfers.
“I hope we get to have a girls invitational, but we’re going to start small with this event,” Burgess said. “We’re getting together for a chance to highlight not just the golfers in each teams’ top six and give them a chance to celebrate these golfers.”
Both Plath and Barber believe they have a shot at reaching the states. They hope they can lead the way for the next group of girls golfers to take up the sport and have success.
“I think we got some good golfers up here and we’re going to show that,” Plath said.
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