Ferrieri grabs lead at Palm Beach County Amateur

A former Pan American Games softball gold medalist is atop the leaderboard after Tuesday’s fifirst round of the Palm Beach County Women’s Amateur Golf Championship, hosted by PGA National.

JoAnn Ferrieri shot a 35-4479 on the 5,771-yard, par-73 Champion Course for a twoshot lead over defending champion and 13-time win- ner Susan Cohn (38-43-81).

Mercedese Large (40- 4282) is three shots behind. Stacy Politziner, Lucy Sievers and seven-time champ Taffffy Brower all came in with identical 12-over 85s to stay within six shots of the lead with 36 holes to play.

Fer r i e r i , who c oached Palm Beach State College to a National Junior College Athletic Association softball championship in 1996, was pleased with her overall shot- making, especially on the front nine.

“I was happy with 35 to begin the round. My shortiron game was OK and I putted well, but then the wind picked up,” Ferrieri said. “It’s a great course with a lot of risk and reward. You need to stay in the present.”

In 1987, Ferrieri was a third baseman on the U.S. team that won gold in the Pan American Games in Indianapolis. Seven years later, after playing professional softball in Italy, she moved to South Florida and learned the game that would become her passion.

Ferrieri agrees that certain skills that one acquires as a softball player helped her become a successful amateur golfer.

“The hand- eye coordination you work on as a softball player transitions over to golf, especially with your driving and swing speed,” Ferrieri said.

Cohn is looking to capture her 11th consecutive county title.

“I wasn’t sharp out there today and didn’t have my ‘A’ game to fall back on,” Cohn said. “The golf course won today.”

Brower experienced ups and downs Tuesday.

“I did well on the front nine and poorly on the back nine,” Brower said. “I fell recently, which affffected my swing on the left side.”

In addition to the Championship Flight, where 13 players compete for the county trophy, more than 90 golfers, based on their handicap index, are placed in seven additional flflights and play on an abbreviated course ranging from 5,100 to 5,400 yards.

The three-day event continues with the second round today.