By TIM IRVING
“I feel like Rochester is the Women’s Golf Capital.”
11-year veteran Daniela Iacobelli isn’t the only golfer that feels that way. Brook Lea Country Club is hosting the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic for the sixth time after the LPGA left town.
Downey and Tournament Chairman Mike Vidala decided late in the LPGA’s run to host a pro am and the Spencerport grad agreed, under one condition; each team had to include a high school girls golfer.
After Downey’s passing, Vidala ran with the information he gained from Downey’s time on tour, ensuring players were set up with host families, and as many as possible of them in homes with a young girls golfer, who could have a pro player to talk to.
“They definitely helped me gain confidence in my own game, inspire me to go out more and practice, I’ve definitely grown to love the game a lot more,” said recent Mercy grad Michaela Eichas. Soon to be a freshman dual major at St. John Fisher, Eichas is the recipient of this year’s Danielle Downey Scholarship.
After a Junior Clinic in the morning, the high school players play in the Future of Women’s Golf pro-am and ride in the same cart with the pro.
“The pros are really nice and they say, ‘give your phone number, text me, let me know how you’re doing in your season,” said Georgia Spatorico, also a recent Mercy grad heading to Cornell next year, who was paired with Iacobelli. “It’s great to hear what they liked, didn’t like about college golf and it was great to get more info about it because I’m an only child.”
The advantages roll through the generations. Eichas has a younger sister, Marisa, who is coming up through the Mercy program. Julia Zigrossi has developed a friendship with Symetra pro Kelly Whaley and Julia’s younger sister Emily played in the pro-am this year and teamed with Maddie Szeryk, who is being hosted by the Zigrossi family during the tournament.
Tuesday features a Women’s Forum in the morning, which is being run by former Danielle Downey Scholarship winner Vanessa Fulmore.
At 1:00, the nine hole Kinecta Federal Credit Union Celebrity scramble featuring Buffalo Bills Wall of Famer Steve Tasker, former Amerks and Sabres goalie Marty Biron, US Olympic Speed Skating gold medalist Dan Jansen and Syracuse Athletic Director John Wildhack.
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