Two young golfers got the opportunity to tee it up with an LET professional during Thursday’s Pro-Am at the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF – Florida.
Makenna Rodriguez and Leiahnni Smith spent the afternoon playing in the Pro-Am with Sweden’s Johanna Gustavsson, who came third in the 2022 Race to Costa del Sol and was the winning team captain from New York last year.
As well as Gustavsson, the duo were joined in their Pro-Am team by Vasti Amaro, who is an Advisory Board Member for Women of Color Golf (WOCG), and all three players were representing both the WOCG organisation and their mentoring program Girls on the Green Tee (GOTGT).
GOTGT is a program designed by the WOCG for girls aged 10-17 to introduce young girls to the game of golf, while it also aims to provide leadership development and instill self-esteem, confidence, respect, honesty, responsibility and healthy habits and experiences through the game.
Clemmie Perry, Founder & Executive Director of WOCG and GOTGT, said: “It was such a pleasure to have our minority students play in the LET Pro-Am at the Aramco Team Series – Florida and it was an experience of a lifetime to bring them here and we want to thank you for the opportunity.
“The girls said they were so grateful to Alexandra Armas and the ATS – Florida team and they hope to get the opportunity to come back and witness such a wonderful tournament, as well as what the experience they have learned and gained from watching it and being a part of it.”
Leiahnni is a current College Women of Color Golf Ambassador from Edward Waters University. She said: “Yesterday was an amazing experience. For me to be able to see what a golf tournament is like on the other side of the spectator rope was a very unique experience.
“Johanna was very fun to play with, she gave us lots of tips and advice. I also enjoyed her caddie; he was really nice and fun. Overall, this was an experience of a lifetime and I’m very blessed to have this experience and am looking forward to the rest of the week.”
Makenna explained: “I am eternally grateful for the opportunity that Women of Color Golf gave me to be able to play with a professional LET player. Especially one as embracing and wonderful as Johanna, she truly enlightened me about the game, her state of mind and moving forward as an athlete and a woman in this field.”
While Makenna’s sister Morgan was also invited along to the Pro-Am day and got to walk alongside and experience the round with Johanna too.
Morgan said: “It was definitely a surreal experience because you are out there with a pro, on a professional course and you get to experience what they’re experiencing. The same head game, the same golf game.
“It was all about having fun as well. Johanna is an amazing pro, and she made the experience even better than it could have been. I’m so lucky and happy to have been out there, not only having the experience of a lifetime but having the opportunity to get some tips and share some of my own goals and aspirations with Johanna.”
