Golf matures young star Serena

SHERDON PIERRE

SERENA Mackenzie took up a golf club for the first time at six years old, simply to mimic her older sister Arianne. Twelve years later, Serena has become the top player in her family and one of the dominant females in TT.

The Upper six student at St. Joseph Convent, POS is having an impressive 2018, recently winning the Republic Bank Caribbean Junior Open title for a third consecutive time. Added to that title are second place finishes in the senior division at the Brechin Castle Open, Nestle Svelty/ Nescafe Dolce Gusto Ladies Open Golf Championship and Trinidad and Tobago Golf Association Classic.

In 2017, Serena won all her national tournaments, placed 5th at the IJGA Worldstars of Junior Golf in Las Vegas and participated for the second year in the Duke of York Young Champions Trophy in Liverpool, England. The latter tournament is an international 54-hole stroke play golf competition for young men and women.

Speaking to Newsday recently, Mackenzie said her self-belief sky-rocketed in 2016 while competing at the Republic Bank Caribbean Junior Open.

“I played really bad on the first day of the Republic Bank Caribbean Junior Open 2016, I was second to last. The second day I was really focused and I ended up leading by eight strokes. Then, the next day I managed to win the tournament on the very last shot I hit.” Winning this tournament allowed her to participate in the Junior British Open in Scotland in July of that year.

She highlighted the social values gained in playing the sport of golf.

“I learned about integrity, honesty and courage. I learned how to be patient and how to push when things get tough because you can be playing really well and all of a sudden it goes downhill.”

She explained, “Golf is not a game of perfect, and once you understand that not all your shots will be perfect you will be fine.”

Serena credited her support system for allowing her to flourish and stay focused on the golf course.

“Knowing that you have people supporting you in your corner, whether family or friends, will give you that reassurance to play harder,” she said. Her focus, however, has shifted from the golf course to excelling in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). She noted, “I try not to overwhelm myself whether with golf or academics because I’m doing pretty well in both. I spend a couple hours at golf then head home to lessons.”

Serena`s mother, Marlene Mackenzie, said golf has made her daughter become wiser beyond her age.

“The junior golfers go out there and perform well despite the situation they are faced. I have seen them grow, particular my daughter, in terms of maturity and the ability to interact with the adults. They participate with adults so it matures them pretty fast, it prepares them for the real world.”

Serena said her favourite golfers are Sweden’s Annika Sörenstam and American Michelle Wie. The teenager is aiming to attend a foreign University but still plans to continue playing golf. She will be representing TT at the Caribbean Junior Amateur Golf Championships in July.