An LCCVI Grade 11 student is one of the first championship winners of the school year.

Marlee Darrach, 15, took the women’s LSSAA Golf Championship at Sawmill Creek recently.

It was Darrach’s first appearance in a championship event. ‘I was nervous, very nervous at first,” she says noting she wasn’t alone since all but one of the competitors were in the same position.

Darrach has been playing golf for about three years now.

“I swam until Grade 8 competitively,” says Darrach adding her dad was a big golf fan. “When I was little, I’d ride the golf cart. I never really wanted to golf.”

Until the summer she went into Grade 9. This summer, Darrach threw herself into the game, doing skills drills at Sawmill Creek with Coach Chris Dixon for two hours and then coming back after completing work to play a round of nine holes.

Darrach says she has grown to love and hate the game. “I don’t know why I like it. It is still frustrating but when I do good, it feels good. When I have a good round it feels good and I want to come out the next day.”

Darrach shot a nine over 43 for the win.

She also participated in the SWOSSA tournament but failed to make the cut for OFSSA.