MANCHESTSER — Her work in the WMSGA tournament is done, and now two-time champion Alexa Rancourt has her sights set on an even bigger prize: A national amateur title.
The 18-year old South Portland native, who won the WMSGA title by 23 shots at Augusta Country Club on Wednesday, is packing up her clubs and driving to the Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis.
The tournament gets under way Monday with two days of stroke play. After that, the top 64 players will advance to match play, which gets under way on Wednesday with the championship match scheduled for Aug. 9.
Rancourt, who carded a 1-under par 215 over the three-day WMSGA tournament, is eager to go after finding her putting stroke in the final round.
“It’s a really good confidence booster, I feel like I was hitting the ball really well this week, I putted well through today,” said Rancourt, who will attend Furman University this fall on a full golf scholarship.
In fact, two of her future teammates will be in the field in St. Louis.
“We’re going to play the practice rounds together, we’ve got a nice showing for Furman,” said Rancourt, who added that she’s played with a majority of the other players who will be in the field.
Rancourt, who made six birdies in Wednesday’s 18-hole finale at Augusta CC, is hoping that momentum will carry over, especially after what will be a long drive from South Portland to Missouri.
“Especially on the back nine today I felt like I was really playing,” she said. “It’s a good feeling to go down there especially with the putting [feeling good], getting that feeling on the last nine of the tournament is great.”
Rancourt isn’t sure what the layout of the course is like.
“ I looked online to try to get an idea of it and it’s so private you need a login and password to even get on the Web site,” she said.
Rancourt plans on taking things one day at a time, one hole at a time, and not abandoning what was a great mental approach at the WMSGA in which she was locked in on every shot.
“I think that if I play like I did this week, my first goal is to make the cut and make it into the top 64 and take it match by match,” she said.
rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net
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