Lakewood Ranch alumnus Danny Walker makes history

Lakewood Ranch High alumnus Danny Walker is heading to the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf National Championship Friday with the University of Virginia. And he’s making a little history, too.

Walker fired a 4-under-par 212 as UVA earned the last NCAA qualifying spot at the Franklin, Tenn., regional by one shot. And when Walker tees it up at the national championship on Friday in Eugene, Ore., he’ll become the first former Mustang to play in an NCAA Division I national championship in any sport.

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IMG Academy’s Mika Liu punched her ticket into the United States Women’s Open this past Monday at Quail Ridge Country Club in Boytnon Beach.

Playing Quail Ridge’s South Course, Liu fired a 69-68—137 to earn one of two qualifying berths into the U.S. Women’s Open, scheduled for July 7-10 at CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin, Calif.

Liu is one of three former or current IMG Academy to qualify from Florida sectionals. Nelly Korda and Jodi Ewart Shadoff qualified from Bradenton Country Club earlier this month.

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Manatee junior golfers excelled in the recent Hurricane Junior Golf Tour event at Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club’s North Course in Dade City.

In the boys 16-18 age division, Bradenton’s Sutthinun Sinsuntites won with a 3-under-par 141. Bradenton’s Jim “Yichen” Cai finished runner-up in the boys 14-15s with a 151 total for the 36-hole event that concluded Sunday. Bradenton’s Carson Enright won the boys 11-13s after a 4-under-par 140 left him 10 shots clear of the field. Bradenton’s Priscilla Schmid captured the girls 14-18s with a 151 total. Manatee’s Gabrielle Tomeo tied for second in that division with a 153. Bradenton’s Minny Byun also won her division, the girls 13-and-younger group, with a 150.

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IMG Academy alumnus Hadas Libman reached the semifinals of the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf National Championship as part of the UCLA women’s golf team.

The Bruins qualified for the match play portion of the event at Eugene Country Club in Oregon as one of eight quarterfinalists following stroke play. However, UCLA’s run ended when fellow Pac-12 conference opponent, Washington, defeated them 3-1-1 in the semifinals on Tuesday. The championship on Wednesday, featuring two Pac-12 teams Washington and defending champion Stanford, was not complete in time for this edition. The Cardinal won the 2015 title at The Concession Golf Club in East Manatee County.

Holes-in-one

On Tuesday, May 10 at Peridia Golf and Country Club, Flo-Ann Weaver aced the 120-yard 13th hole with a 3-wood. Witnesses were Pat Townson, Barb Wendrich and Jane Martin.

On Saturday, May 21 at Terra Ceia Bay C.C., Michael Osborn aced the 114-yard, par-3 17th hole with an 8-iron. Barb Murphy witnessed the shot.

This story was originally published May 25, 2016 at 5:04 PM with the headline "Lakewood Ranch alumnus Danny Walker makes history."