GIRL POWER: Lafleche makes statement in quarters

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This article was published 23/08/2022 (757 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WASAGAMING — What does it mean to play like a girl?

If it’s hitting every single fairway and stuffing hybrids tighter than the boys hit their short irons, then sure, Jeri-Ann Lafleche plays like a girl.

The Clear Lake Golf Course member is in her third Tamarack golf tournament teeing it up with the boys since the girls event was dropped due to low numbers. It’s her first time in the championship flight after a smooth 77 in qualifying and she’s through to the semifinals with a 6-and-5 victory over No. 3 seed Keenan Skrupa on Wednesday.

“It’s definitely good,” Lafleche said. “I feel like I played well and the holes I ended up winning, I was winning with pars or birdies. It was rare I was winning with bogeys, which is always a good match.”

The 15-year-old stands just five-foot-two and while she gets “everything I can out of what’s in my bag,” she’ll almost always be the shortest hitter in a group with talented male juniors.

But in match play, she knows that just means she can put pressure on with a solid approach.

She’s used to the chatter about playing with the boys by now.

“That happens a lot,” Lafleche said. “A couple of them are my friends so they know how I play, then others I look at what (score) they qualify (with) and I’m like ‘You probably shouldn’t talk. There’s other things out there that you should probably be worrying about.’”

The Winnipegger picked up a massive win last month, shooting 81, 75 and 76 to claim the provincial women’s amateur title by six strokes.

She simply dominated the field over the last two days, avoiding double-bogey for the final 42 holes.

“Winning the women’s am was a bit of a shock. My parents did not see it coming,” Lafleche said.

“I didn’t think I was going in there to win, I thought a top-five finish would be good but to win by (six) strokes was always a nice finish.”

Lafleche draws Mack Sanderson, who beat Cameron McDonald 3 and 2 after carding a 74 in qualifying.

Sanderson was the runner-up last year, falling to McDonald’s brother, Jordon, in the final. He said he’s bigger and hitting it farther than last year and feels good about his game. He knows a fierce challenge awaits.

“Heard (Lafleche) hasn’t missed a fairway all week so that’s pretty impressive,” Sanderson said.

“It’s great. She deserves to be here just like anyone else. She won 6 up today? That’s very impressive, it doesn’t matter who you’re up against, it’s impressive. It’s awesome to see.”

On the top half of the draw, medallist Hayden Delaloye of Neepawa made quick work of Payton Bateman, winning 6 and 5 to reach a semifinal against Brandon’s Jaxon Jacobson.

Jacobson emerged 4 and 3 from a friendly lefty battle with Scotty Miner.

He gave Miner a three-footer for birdie, then proceeded to drain a 12-footer of his own, one of five circles on his card.

“My wedges were dialled. (Miner) was great today though, too, had to give it to him,” said Jacobson, who admitted he conceded a few putts out of empathy.

“Less seriousness when it’s just your friend playing with you. He was pretty close, he threw a nice shot in there so I figured it’d be nice if I gave it to him, he hadn’t made any putts.”

Jacobson plays with Lafleche regularly at Clear Lake and said she’s “dangerous” when her approach game is on and is “very competitive.”

“She likes to prove a lot of people wrong of what they think of a girl playing with the boys,” Jacobson said. “She’s got a really good mindset for a competitor.”

Both matches run in the same foursome on Friday morning. It’ll be worth watching, as most golfers can only dream of playing like this girl.

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