Swedick chip-in amazes Augusta
Albany Academy student represented Capital District at historic course
While waiting in line for a snack at the airport on Tuesday afternoon, a little girl turned to her dad and said: “That’s Kennedy. That’s the girl that chipped it in.”
It turned out the admirer was also in the age 10-11 division of last Sunday’s 4th annual “Drive, Chip & Putt” at Augusta National with Voorheesville’s Kennedy Swedick. After her first chip was just 4-feet, 8-inches from the cup, the fifth grader enrolled at the Albany Academy for Girls chipped in her second attempt. Her pink ball disappeared which prompted Golf Channel commentator Rich Lerner to quip: “The first Augusta roar of the week.”
Analyst Peter Jacobsen, who once visited the Capital Region for an Ellis Hospital Skins Game event, added that she wanted to thank her PGA Professional Anders Mattson of Saratoga National. Anders was there in person as he was last year when another of his students, Nicole Criscone of Clifton Park, competed in the same age division. (Kennedy’s other coach is Peter Gerard of Mill Road Acres).
“It was amazing,” Kennedy told me by phone on Tuesday before her return flight. “I’m just so happy because I practiced it a lot over the last week and all my hard work paid off.”
So poised for a 10-year old, I asked her how she didn’t jump out of her shoes at that moment. “I kept my emotions in check for that moment. My mind was bursting with joy at that moment.”
The chip-in jumped her from ninth after driving to tied for fourth before putting on the famed 18th green at Augusta. The
slick green set her back and she finished seventh out of 10 in her group with 14 points. Last year, Criscone was ninth overall. That should set up a friendly rivalry at this year’s version of DCP. Registration is now open and the local qualifier dates and sites for the Northeastern New York PGA are Saturday, July 15, at Saratoga National Golf Club and Saturday, July 29, at Town of Colonie Golf Course.
DCP takes 80 national finalists — 40 boys and 40 girls. It was founded in 2013 as a joint initiative by the Masters Tournament, the United States Golf Association and The PGA of America. It’s free to participate and has been the biggest thing to grow the game in a long time.
Swedick was handed a trophy for winning the chipping by none other than last year’s Masters champion Danny Willett. The next day on the
course, she got an autograph from the man who slipped on Willett’s Green Jacket, Jordan Spieth.
Spieth saw Kennedy in her DCP jacket, lifted the rope line and said, “Here, walk with me and he signed my flag,” Kennedy said. “He was just nice to every child.”
Kennedy also roamed the course with Saratoga’s Dottie Pepper on Monday, there for both ESPN and CBS Sports coverage. And apparently, Dottie took over.
“Ms. Pepper kept scooching me up and pushing the boys away so I could watch Dustin Johnson drive,” Kennedy said.
To list all the people she met and all the things she did would take up the rest of this space but her mom Karen seemed to sum it up well: “It was absolutely amazing. I cannot put it into words, I simply can’t. Watching her face when she hit that chip, I replayed that 100 times just watching that smile. It was amazing, it was amazing.”
The TSA even let her get on the plane with her
newest souvenir, a small Masters teddy bear Kennedy has named, yup, “Chippy.”
NEET HONORED
Clifton Park’s John Neet, the teaching pro at Golf Galaxy in Crossgates Commons, was named the NENY PGA Professional of the Year. He gave all the credit to his wife Christine and daughter Gabriella for getting him through last season. He said all he did was work and play golf and rest. That’s what happens when you’re battling pancreatic cancer.
Neet was second on the NENY PGA Player of the Year points list to Hiland assistant pro Scott Berliner, who has won it six consecutive times. Neet underwent intensive treatments in Buffalo and Florida and still teed it up as often as he could.
The other award winners are listed in the golf notes on the paper’s website.
RULES CONFUSION
After the controversy over the Lexi Thompson coin and couch call-
in guy, how about a rules refresher? Mohawk Golf Club in Niskayuna will host a free NYSGA Rules Seminar on Saturday, May 6. It runs from 9:30 a.m. to noon but you have to register ahead of time.
The USGA and Royal & Ancient came out with proposed changes on the Rules of Golf earlier this year under the USGA’s Rules Modernization Initiative.
The seminars are taught by experienced rules officials utilizing professionally-produced, interactive videos that cover common situations players encounter during play. Instructors will also cover the proposed Rules changes recently announced by the USGA.
Attendees get a complimentary copy of the Rules of Golf, are entered in a raffle for Rules-related prizes, and a continental breakfast during registration.