|
Blinn takes another title in impressive summer run |
|
01:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 BY CAROLYN THORNTON
First of all, her name is Blinn, not Blink. And no, she is not still in high school, Blinn would have to tell them. She is actually 22 years old and grew up in Seekonk. In fact, she just graduated with honors from St. Francis University in Pennsylvania, where she completed a triple major in sociology, psychology and criminal justice. Blinn most likely won't need to explain herself too much anymore. "I think now they know," she said with a smile after firing a 1-over-par 72 yesterday at the Rhode Island Women's State Open Championship at Green Valley Country Club. "I think the past couple weeks has kind of changed some things." After not playing in many Rhode Island events until now, Blinn has been making up for lost time, beefing up her résumé with some impressive victories this summer. A quarterfinalist in her debut at the RIGA State Amateur in July, Blinn won the women's title at Crestwood Country Club earlier this month. Then, last week, she captured the R.I. State Amateur, hosted by the Ocean State Women's Golf Association at Newport National Golf Club. Among the first golfers to finish yesterday's tournament, sponsored by the Ocean State Women's Golf Association, Blinn had to wait a few hours to find out that indeed her score had held up against the field, which included former two-time champion Donna Warner. "People would be like, 'Good score. Nice job. Who are you?' " Blinn said of the reaction she received early in the season. "Now it's like, 'All right. Here comes Val.' Winning the amateur kind of changed the way people look at me as a player now, so it's a little nervewracking. It's hard because a lot of people expect more. It's a whole different game now, but now that I did it, I feel more confident, too, about playing. I had my doubts about it, and then as I started playing last week, everything fell into place. So now I feel a lot more confident about my golf game." Blinn shot an even-par 35 on the front nine, rolling in an 8-footer for birdie on the 354-yard, par-4 sixth to offset the bogey she made on eight. She carded two more birdies on the back side, sinking a 15-footer on the 101-yard, par-3 12 and tapping in on 15, a 290-yard par-4. "On the back side, I made some stupid shots," said Blinn, who recorded bogeys on 11, 13 and 16. "Like the bogey on 13. I tried to drive the green and I went in this fescue -- it was like the only fescue out there -- so I had to take an unplayable (lie). Then I put it like 5 feet (from the cup) and missed the putt for par. Then I made that birdie on 15, which was a great birdie, and then I three-putted 16. Then I parred in and shot 1-over, so I should have been lower. But I can't be too hard on myself." Blinn says she plans to remain an amateur for another year before trying to qualify for the Futures Tour, the next step toward making the "big leagues" of the LPGA. She's been encouraged by the improvements she's made in her game this summer. "I'm still a few shots short of where I want to be, but when I came back from graduating college in May, I was an 8 handicap and I got myself down to a 1," said Blinn, who supports her golf habit as an assistant manager at Work N Gear in South Attleboro. "I mean, that's a big jump. That's from shooting 83s to shooting 73s, and for me that's a big accomplishment. I'm proud of myself. It's a lot of work, so now I just hope that I can make it to the next level." Marisa White, a member at Triggs and the medalist at last week's R.I. State Amateur, took second low gross in the A Division, firing a 76 with birdies on 5 and 15. Carol Beaudette won first net at 70. The 10-handicapper shot a 40 on each side, carding a birdie on the 145-yard, par-3 eighth. "This is a good round for me," Beaudette said. "I belong to Alpine now and shot a 79 two weeks ago, so since the Amateur I've been playing really well. 40-40 -- that's pretty consistent." Brenda Paris of Triggs was one stroke behind Beaudette with a second low net of 71 in the A Division. Barbara Charles of Segregansett (85) and Alpine's Valarie Tessier (94) won first gross in the B and C Divisions, respectively, while Mary Creighton (70) and Liz Trainor, a member at Wanumetonomy, (69) each took first net in their respective divisions. A DIVISION GROSS -- 1, Valerie Blinn, Crestwood, 35-37 -- 72; 2, Marisa White, Triggs, 38-38 -- 76. NET -- 1, Carol Beaudette, Alpine, 70; 2, Brenda Paris, Triggs, 71. B DIVISION GROSS -- 1, Barbara Charles, Segregansett, 44-41 -- 85; 2, Vicki Johnson, Green Valley, 42-45 -- 87. NET -- 1, Mary Creighton, 70; 2, Donna DeBlasio, Triggs, 72. C DIVISION GROSS -- 1, Valarie Tessier, Alpine, 43-51 -- 94; 2, Edie Cabral, Montaup, 50-48 -- 98. NET -- 1, Liz Trainor, Wanumetonomy, 69; 2, Lucy Levada, Green Valley, 70.
|