Memphis freshman golfer preparing for U.S. Women’s Amateur

Victoria England worked through the course at the Country Club of Leawood in Leawood, Kansas, trying to focus on each individual shot and not the holes that preceded or followed.

But because she was one of the first groups to finish the course, she spent two and a half hours waiting for the other golfers, and worries started to set in.

"That was pretty nerve-racking," England said. "But then when the final group came in and they wrote the scores on the board and I knew that I had made it, it was just really exciting."

England, 18, an incoming freshman at Memphis, made the cut on Monday during qualifying for the U.S. Women's Amateur.

She carded a 1-over-par 72, which tied for third in a sectional of 40 golfers and allowed her to claim a spot at the U.S. Women's Amateur, which is scheduled for Aug. 5 to 11 at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Mississippi.

England won two Division II-A titles at St. George's, and the East Memphis resident was named to The Commercial Appeal's All-metro team from 2014-17. She was homeschooled her senior year, which she said allowed her to take dual enrollment classes and devote even more time to golfing.

She signed a national letter of intent in March.

In the four weeks leading to the tournament, England plans to continue practicing – she specifically mentioned working on her putting – at Windyke Country Club in Shelby County. She'll also visit Old Waverly to get a feel for the course, which she heard has "tough greens."

"When I think of the tournament," England said, "I just want to play well and have scores that I can be proud of and feel like I did everything I could."

Reach Commercial Appeal staff writer Daniel Oyefusi at daniel.oyefusi@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter at @Danieloyefusi