Forging a Friendship 850 Miles Apart, Beqaj and Snyder Qualify for the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball Championship

October 3, 2016 | 3 min.


By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


  CHASKA, Minn. – Unlike many sports, the game of golf has the unique ability to bridge gaps between people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

From two vastly different parts of North America, Sarah Beqaj, who hails from Toronto, Canada, and Britta Snyder, from Ames, Iowa, met three years ago when playing in the same group on the final day of the U.S. Kids Golf World Championships in North Carolina.

“We had a blast,” Beqaj said, “And we knew we were going to be friends from there.”

“We played with each other in a bunch of (American Junior Golf Association) events together after that,” Snyder added.

The two carded a 1-under par 71 Monday at Chaska Town Course to earn medalist honors and also claimed the lone qualifying spot for the 2017 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship.

An impressive feat considering the two had never played a team event with each other prior and came to the Twin Cities early to get a couple practice rounds in to build some quick chemistry. Even more remarkable is the fact that both are just 14-years-old.

“I think it worked out pretty well,” Snyder joked.

After opening the day with a bogey on the first hole Monday, the two quickly drew even when Snyder sank a 50-foot birdie on the second hole. Unable to get up-and-down at the par-3 fourth, the two would turn at 1-over for the day, before taking their third bogey of the round at the 10th to open the back nine.

The two would find their footing and start to click as Beqaj’s ball striking came alive, while Snyder’s game around the putting surface began to heat up.

Sticking her approach to five feet at the 12th, Beqaj rolled her birdie putt to once again get the twosome back to 1-over for the round.

Missing the green at the par-3 14th, Snyder chipped in for birdie to get to 1-under before nearly driving the 299-yard 16th, chipping up to tap-in distance and Snyder and Beqaj would finish the round at 71, one stroke ahead of the field.

“We started off pretty rough. But we kept a positive attitude and came in strong—I think we finished the last six holes at 3-under,” Snyder said. “The back nine we hit a bunch of solid wedges. At 15 were around par and knew we had a par-5 left and we tried to get it going and rode off the momentum of each other.”

“We were hitting the driver further,” Beqaj said. “Right after 10, we knew we had to change something up, so I went first and just [put the ball in play] and then [Snyder] was able to bomb it down. We knew we needed to go pin hunting.”

Snyder qualified for the U.S. Junior Girls’ Championship this past summer, while the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball next May will be the first USGA event for Beqaj.

“This is crazy. Once we get there, Britta was telling me, they treat you so well and I feel like it’s going to be the next step to see who can compete and how you’re going to do,” Beqaj said Monday.

Olivia Herrick and Samantha Sommers finished as first alternates, while Claudia Pilot and Brenda Williams finished as second alternates.

The 2017 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship will be played May 27-31 at The Dunes Golf and Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

 

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