Girls golfer of the year
Name: Nicole DeGennaro
School: Palo Verde
Year in school: Sophomore
Sport: Girls golf
From the archives: Even the person responsible for such a dramatic lowering in her golf scores didn't have a really good explanation for it.
"I just practice really hard," said Palo Verde sophomore Nicole DeGennaro, Tucson's top individual finisher at yesterday's Class 4A state girls golf tournament. "This is something that I want to do so I just put everything to it."
A bold statement from a girl who shaved 55 shots off the score she carded at the 1999 state tournament. DeGennaro, completing her second season of competitive golf, finished the two-day event with a 13-over 155 at the par-71 Trilogy Golf Club.
The total, helped by a 4-over 75 yesterday, was good enough for fifth place. Her goal was to finish in the top five.
"I achieved that goal," DeGennaro said. "Next year at state I want to get at least into the top three."
PV coach Tom Wingert says much of the credit for DeGennaro's progression goes to her father, Nick, who taught her.
"He's gotten her in all the right programs," Wingert said. "He's gotten her so well prepared. She's definitely going to be one of the top contenders."
DeGennaro's showing put Tucson back onto the map of 4A golf, something it hasn't been on since the 4A began holding its own tournament in 1997. She and Sahuaro's Kate Day - who tied for seventh at 161 - were the only Tucsonans in the top 15.
DeGennaro said she enjoyed being considered an unknown as she climbed to the top.
"It's kind of like nobody knew who I was, and that made me work harder," she said. — Brian J. Pedersen, 2000
