By CHUCKIE MAGGIO
Madison Pressel has fond memories of Rochester hospitality from her past experiences playing in the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic.
“We love that people know why we’re here,” the 29-year-old Pressel remarked. “Small story, I was out getting a salad somewhere. Someone saw me and I’m wearing Golf4Her (apparel). Clearly a golfer, right? You’d be surprised at what people don’t know we’re in the city for. We could be five minutes from the golf course and they would have no clue, but that never happens here. People know we’re here; people love coming to watch us.”
The city’s golf enthusiasts can watch Pressel and the rest of the Symetra Tour professionals next month, when the Classic returns to Brook-Lea Country Club from July 15 to 18. Event organizers and participants alike are thrilled for its return, as the 2020 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Downey, the tournament’s namesake, was a Spencerport High School and Auburn University alumna who competed on the Symetra Tour (then the LPGA Futures Tour) from 2004-2007 and the LPGA Tour from 2006-2010. She was killed in a car accident in January 2014, after which the tournament was established to honor her memory.
Four players to come through Rochester’s lone annual professional event have proceeded to win major LPGA tournaments, most recently Patty Tavatanakit and Sophia Popov. Tavatanakit, the 2019 winner by seven shots, won the ANA Inspiration in April.
The week is known for quality golf, and tournament chair Mike Vadala said the impact of the pandemic on the schedule as well as LPGA qualifying will make for a more competitive field. Buffalo native Chelsea Dantonio is one hopeful who planned to enter “Q-School” and vie for her pro card at the end of fall 2020 but saw her plans change.
“That ended up pushing back my whole plan another year, which isn’t the end of the world, but I was eager and excited to get my professional career started,” Dantonio, a 2019 Winthrop University, alumna, said. “This year I’ve been able to get the opportunity to play in the Danielle Downey and I’m super excited for that to be my first professional event… as near to home as it is. I’m really excited for that.”
Buffalo’s Chelsea Dantonio talks about the opportunity to play in the 2021 Danielle Downey Classic pic.twitter.com/91T0ScwKVm
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) June 17, 2021
The course experience isn’t limited to the pros. Local high school female golfers are invited to play in the Future of Women’s Golf Pro-Am to start the week, paired with a tour pro and three amateur players. Spencerport sophomore and Section V champion Julia Zigrossi became friends with 24-year-old Kelly Whaley, who was playing in her first professional outing as a sponsor invite, after the two were paired at the 2019 pro-am.
Zigrossi and Whaley frequently text and talk on the phone, with Whaley sharing tips and advice as Zigrossi begins her college search.
“As a high schooler, at least in my shoes, I was pretty intimidated by the whole professional world and the girls,” Whaley acknowledged. “It’s so cool that we get to spend time to share our experiences and help them improve not only as a player but as a human on the golf course.”
“I’ve been playing since seventh grade in the high school pro-am and every year I’ve had a great experience,” Zigrossi noted, “but last year Mike put me with Kelly and said, ‘I think you’re gonna like her.’ Turns out I did, a lot. For me, it was more beyond golf… I grew up with a younger sister, so I hope she looks up to me. But I don’t have an older sister, so I kind of look up to Kelly. It’s like the older sister that I didn’t have.”
The Classic continues to support the Pluta Cancer Center at the University of Rochester Medical Center, providing funds to support families with not only treatment but the added costs and stresses that accompany a cancer diagnosis.
From charitable support to fostering relationships with aspiring female golfers and a Women’s Forum networking event with female executives and young professionals, the tournament will make a mark on the Rochester area before the players tee off that Thursday.
Tournament pro Madison Pressel adds remarks about the upcoming Danielle Downey Classic. pic.twitter.com/eyd2zGqq0V
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) June 17, 2021
“We actually get to entertain, not just on the weekend, but we get to do other things in the community that most sports don’t get to do,” Pressel explained. “We were speaking about Josh Allen earlier; you can’t really play football with him that much, right? You get to interact one-on-one with us and we absolutely love being able to do that.”
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