If you aren’t able to take a trip to Florida, you might as well go win a golf tournament instead.
That is just what Wayne Trace graduate Kenadie Daeger did last weekend as the former Lady Raider golfer won the Lima Area Women’s Match Play Tournament at Shawnee Country Club.
Daeger, who teamed with former coach and father Jeremy Daeger, will attend University of Northwestern Ohio later this month to play golf, got past UNOH graduate Devaki Ganesh 1-up for the title.
This, after not being able to head south with a group of friends due to the conflict with the tournament.
“I had already committed to this tournament so I just decided to come here and see how it went,” noted Kenadie. “I am just glad it went well and am very happy with the way I played.”
It did get a little interesting, though, down the stretch as Daeger saw a three-shot lead over the final six holes. Up three with six holes remaining, Ganesh cut the deficit to one hole entering hole 18.
Ganesh recorded a par three on hole 18 and Daeger needed to match. Missing a birdie putt, the former Raider standout drilled her second put to post a par as well and capture the tournament title.
“It definitely was a little nerve-wracking,” stated Jeremy Daeger, Kenadie’s father and former girls golf coach at Wayne Trace. “But it was also very exciting to see that shot go in. I am just really proud of her and the way she played.”
“I think the big thing was I just had to settle down and play my game,” added Kenadie Daeger. “Nerves had gotten to me a little bit and I just needed to relax. Fortunately, it worked out for me.”
Next up for the Raider standout is collegiate golf at the University of Northwestern Ohio.
“I am excited to get started,” added the future Racer. “This should hopefully be a little bit of a springboard into that season and I am looking forward to the opportunity to play collegiate golf.”
The tournament started with a round at Delphos Country Club where Daeger finished second on the first day with a round of 76.
Day two was held at Shawnee Country Club where Daeger carded an 81 to post a two-day total of 157. That was good enough for second place overall, putting her into the match play portion of the tournament against Sandy Doan, who totaled a 167.
With Ganesh getting a bye into the championship match following her two-day total of 149, Daeger took on Doan at Hidden Creek Golf Club.
Daeger rallied from an early two-hole deficit to post the victory with an impressive back-nine that saw the Lady Raider graduate win six of the first eight holes on the back side to seal the win.
Daeger’s collegiate career at UNOH will begin on Monday, August 30, and Tuesday, August 31, when the Lady Racers travel to Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame, Indiana.
