By ROCKY STANLEY
ASHLAND — What do world-renowned golf instructor David Leadbetter, elite strength and conditioning coach Pat Etcheberry and Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino have in common?
All three have daughters competing in the Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior this week.
Hally Leadbetter, Mallory Etcheberry and Katie Petrino are playing in consecutive groups during the first two rounds at Bellefonte Country Club.
The 26th annual tournament conducted by the American Junior Golf Association opened Wednesday and includes age 12 through 18 with players from 22 states, Canada and Taiwan.
It’s the first trip to Bellefonte for Leadbetter and Petrino. Etcheberry, granddaughter of BCC members Don and Jo Weller, is one of the youngest players in the tournament at age 13 and last year participated in a qualifier for the Bluegrass Junior.
The tight and challenging course earned a healthy respect from the trio by the end of round one.
Leadbetter shot 78, good for 12th place in the 30-player girls division led by Kentuckian Emma Talley at 2-under par. Petrino is 15th after posting an 80, while Etcheberry is tied for 18th at 82.
The 16-year-old Leadbetter, accustomed to flat courses in her home state of Florida, is trying to adjust to uneven lies on the rolling Bellefonte layout.
“It’s a huge learning experience,’’ she said. “If you want to be a great golfer, you have to play different kinds of courses all over to make yourself better.’’
David Leadbetter is a member of the AJGA board of directors.
“He told me this was one of the oldest tournaments and I’m happy to be here,’’ Hally Leadbetter said. “It’s so well-run. Not that many tournaments are you going to see volunteers clapping for us on the tee.’’
Having a dad widely regarded as the father of the modern golf swing carries a certain amount of pressure, but Hally Leadbetter said there are positives and negatives.
“It’s kind of obvious, I feel like I have an advantage,’’ she said. “He can help me with my golf swing but can’t be there all the time.’’
The lefty-swinging Hally Leadbetter said she loves learning the game as part of “one big golfing family.’’ This is her second AJGA tournament and she will travel to Great Britain this summer to play in two junior events.
The Leadbetter and Etcheberry families have close ties from the time they lived down the street from each other in Lake Nona, Fla.
Hally Leadbetter went to school with Mallory Etcheberry and her older sister, Tyler, who helped lead Akron University to third place in the Mid-American Conference this season as a freshman. She also made the dean’s list both semesters.
“My mom (Kelly) and their mom (Lisa Etcheberry) are good friends,’’ Hally Leadbetter said.
Lisa Etcheberry’s husband, Pat, has trained a long list of top-flight professional athletes including Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jelena Jankovic, Ernie Els, David Duval and Willie Parker. This week, he’s at Wimbledon with two tennis players.
Mallory Etcheberry, who will be a high school freshman, got a hug from her sister after coming off the course Wednesday.
“I watched Tyler play here for a long time,’’ Mallory Etcheberry said. “It’s pretty tough out there. The greens break different than they look most of the time. I was hitting the ball better today, but didn’t chip and putt the best I can. I think I can do better.’’
Mallory Etcheberry is a student of the game and loves to follow golf on TV.
Katie Petrino, meanwhile, is making the transition to golf after playing for one of the nation’s top 20 high school softball teams this spring. A second baseman and pitcher, she was a main cog as Fayetteville won more than 40 games and advanced to the Arkansas state tournament.
And what lesson stands out from Bobby Petrino, who coached four years at Louisville and has been called one of the most innovative minds in college football.
“Always work hard,’’ Katie Petrino said. “He golfs with me all the time. He’s pretty much my main golf coach.’’
Katie Katie shot 37 on the first nine holes Wednesday before falling off a bit.
“The front nine went well, then I got into trouble on the back nine,’’ she said.
Overall, she is enjoying her visit to Ashland.
“It’s in Kentucky,’’ Katie Petrino said. “I like Kentucky.’’
ROCKY STANLEY can be reached at rstanley@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2671.
