Colorado junior claims Kathy Whitworth golf title

By Kevin Casas

Special to the Star-Telegram

Hannah Wood was still coming to her senses when she began talking about the enormity of winning the 2013 Kathy Whitworth Invitational on Tuesday.

In her post-round interview, the Arapahoe (Colo.) High School junior talked about playing her kind of game and staying with each shot while trying to get comfortable in the surroundings during a final-round 74 at Mira Vista Country Club.

Then it hit her in mid-sentence.

“This is a national event, isn’t it?” she said. “I’m not really sure what to think; it’s my first real event at this level, and I’m just kind of trying to breathe a little. I think it’s just started to sink in.”

If her one-shot victory over Florida commit Samantha Wagner wasn’t enough to tip the scales and put her on the national radar, at least her father Don had some good news shortly after the final round.

TCU golf coach Angie Ravaioli-Larkin had just invited Wood to visit the school’s campus later Tuesday evening.

Wood was stunned yet pleased with the news.

“That’s what I was hoping to accomplish here,” she said. “When I found out I was in the tournament, I was nervous almost immediately, and I’ve had a hard time sleeping and eating while trying to get ready.”

Consider Wood’s locale as an early obstacle to improving her game. The Colorado winter hasn’t been mild, and Wood found herself working on swing mechanics and hitting balls in the snow.

“I would go putt at Golfsmith or something,” she said. “It wasn’t easy and I didn’t know how things would turn out. I really didn’t get to play real golf until last Friday.”

Tournament organizers should be smiling as well. The Whitworth Invitational was initiated for the purpose of welcoming talented players who don’t have the national recognition like others.

Despite that, the field is annually one of the strongest in golf.

Wagner was the youngest representative of last year’s U.S. Junior Ryder Cup team, and third-place finisher Ashlan Ramsey will tee it up in three weeks at the LPGA’s first major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

“I knew I could play with them, but I’ve never had the opportunity,” Wood said. “I went up against the best today and kept telling myself to play Hannah Wood golf.”

That involved shaking off a start of three consecutive bogeys to play the final 15 holes even par, and it meant the difference against the talented Wagner, who opened with a 68 in the first round.

Wagner struggled in the final round and came to the 18th not entirely sure where she stood with Wood.

“I just thought I had a couple of shots cushion but of course I really didn’t know,” an emotional Wagner said. “You always get learning experiences when you play in these tournaments. I just need to have some kind of knowledge about where things stand.”

Wagner, who has finished third and second in her past two starts, secured another runner-up finish when her 15-foot par putt slid by the left side of the cup on 18.

Wood nestled her 30-foot birdie putt up to tap-in range to claim the title.

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