Golf

17-year-old Gianna Clemente throwing out first pitch at the April 14 Yankee game highlights a busy year

Southwest Florida is living up to its reputation as one of the golf capitals of the United States.The region is hosting three U.S. Golf Association qualifiers, one in April and two in May. Crown Colony in south Fort Myers is hosting the senior men’s 18-hole qualifier April 25 and the men’s 18-hole U.S. Open qualifier May 8. Grey Oaks Country Club in Naples is hosting the women’s 36-hole U.S. Open qualifier May 13.The senior men’s open and the men’s and women’s U.S. Opens are three of the most prestigious events in golf.The Florida State Golf Association selects the qualifier sites.

Estero’s Gianna Clemente, at the age when most teens are getting their driver’s licenses, took a trip down memory lane during her speech accepting the 2024 Rolex Junior Player of the Year Award earlier this month in San Antonio, Texas.

School might be over, but Estero golfer Gianna Clemente won’t be sitting on the beach working on her tan this summer.The 16-year-old, who starts her junior school year at the end of summer, will have a full schedule of tournaments that will rack up frequent flier miles.

Sixteen-year-old Gianna Clemente held on after leading going into Sunday’s final round. She shot 149, winning by two points over last year’s winner Yana Wilson.

Estero’s Gianna Clemente will get plenty of television time today during the Mizuho Americas Open that will air on the Golf Channel.The 16-year-old is leading the amateur portion of the tournament being played at the Liberty National Golf Course in New Jersey.Clemente will tee off with the number one player in the world, Nelly Korda, who is leading the professional part of the tournament, and Australian Hannah Green, who is in second place.

Golf Coast opened more than 30 years ago, before Estero High School existed, before nearby Coconut Point existed, before the village existed.The driving range has been on life support since the Village of Estero purchased the 10-acre site for $4.25 million in April 2022. The plans call for the village to develop the driving range and contiguous property into a community entertainment center.

Estero’s Gianna Clemente will be the center of attention Saturday during the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.Clemente, 16, is tied for second place, two strokes off the lead after two rounds. The golfers have a practice day Friday on the Augusta National course where the Masters will be played next week. They played the first two rounds at the Champions Retreat Course.

The accolades continue for Estero golfer Gianna Clemente.Clemente, who turned 16 in March, was one of 10 girls to be named to the first U.S. National Junior Team. Eight boys were named to the team.

Estero golfer Gianna Clemente bettered last year’s championship score by four strokes, but it wasn’t good enough to repeat at the South Atlantic Women’s Amateur golf tournament.The high school sophomore finished second over the weekend at five under par, four shots behind Ohio State sophomore Kary Hollenbaugh.