Youngest player in field, Clemente taking it all in

WEST POINT – The youngest player in the field of the 119th U.S. Women's amateur championship summed up her 9-over par round in pretty simple terms.

“I think I'll be a little bit better (today),” Gianna Clemente said. “I didn't play my best, but I didn't play my worst either.”

The 11-year-old from Warren, Ohio, is just the third youngest player to ever play in the tournament. She qualified with a 1-under 71 at the Williamsburg, Virginia, qualifier.

Clemente said that she did have some nerves being the youngest player, but it also gives her some room to relax.

“It's fun because I have nothing to lose,” Clemente said. “I'm not putting pressure on myself to do anything. It was just a fun day to play with my dad.”

Clemente's dad Patrick played golf at Youngstown State University and his brother played at the University of Akron.

Patrick said that the time at Old Waverly has been both fun and a great learning experience for his daughter.

“The experience has been awesome.” Clemente said. “She didn't play great, but

I thought she handled the settings and the stage well.”

A girl whose career with golf began at the age of 2 swinging plastic clubs her dad bought her, progressed to Gianna's first event at 5-yearsold and now she is teeing off with cameras on the first hole.

“I kind of embraced it and here I am,” Clemente said.

Clemente said that her dad is one of her biggest supporters. Both of her parents traveled to support her in the tournament but her dad is her caddy this tournament.

Patrick said that while she is young, the goal was to get her to play older players and longer yardage to improve her game.

“Winning every event when you are younger isn't the best thing,” Patrick Clemente said. “It's OK to learn from this and be around great players. Just the practice rounds with college players have been a great benefit to her.”

Gianna Clemente found success at the 2018 Honda Junior Classic at PGA National where she won and also winning two age-group U.S. Kids World Championships in 2016 and 2018. She has been paying close attention to the other golfers to learn as much as she can from the other players.

Gianna has big dreams beyond just playing for college and on the LPGA tour and looks up to Lexi Thompson, Adrienne Pillar and Ryan O'toole as she pursues her dream of being the greatest.

“I want to be one of the greatest of all time,” Gianna said. “I just really wanted to learn from all of the players here. This is just such a great experience. It has been an honor to be here.”