The big news in golf over the last few weeks has been Tiger Woods’ potential re-ascendency, but it’s nowhere near as interesting as a third-grade Alabama girl competing – and beating – 17-year-old boys in high school varsity golf.
A recent Tuscaloosa News report outlines the story of Anna Beeker, a nine-year-old who competes on the varsity boys golf team at Tuscaloosa Academy.
Beeker is able to compete because Tuscaloosa Academy is part of the Alabama Independent School Association, whose rules allow young athletes to compete at the highest level. She would not be able to compete at a typical public high school involved with the Alabama High School Athletic Association, which does not allow athletes to compete at the varsity level until the seventh grade.
“She knows how to conduct herself on the course, how to stand, but she also knows how to hit the ball, and at her age to be able to hit the ball the way she does is a big advantage,” Scott Taylor, Anna’s coach, told the Tuscaloosa News. “She doesn’t hit like a third-grader, and she is willing to learn and listen.”
One of Beeker’s 17-year-old opponents, Luke Agent, was surprised to hear that his teammate played against a nine-year-old girl.
“I played a third-grader today,” Agent’s teammate told him, according to the Tuscaloosa News story.
“I don’t think they let third-grade girls in the tournament,” Agent responded.
“Well, they did,” his teammate said, “and she almost beat me.”
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