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Central's Alyssa Montgomery finishes high school career as 4-time golf champ, aims to go farther

Ali James
Shopper News
Alyssa Montgomery, Central golfer

Central High senior Alyssa Montgomery finished the Regional Championship 25 under par and took home her fourth championship on Sept. 18.

The 17-year-old went on to finish her high school career at the state tournament in Manchester on Sept. 26.

“She played one round and finished third place in the state,” said golf coach Tony Patterson. “She did not get to go on and play for the win because of the weather, but that was her highest finish. Alyssa made it to state all four years and won 10 individual tournament championships. Four-time region champion has never happened in our region – male or female…

“She thinks her way around the golf course, she is a cerebral golfer,” said Patterson. “She doesn’t just hit it far and then hit it again. Her consistency is the key.”

People may not realize that golfers can walk up to seven or eight miles around an 18-hole course, and not all of it is flat ground, according to Patterson. “Your legs have to be strong, you have to be flexible, and during Alyssa’s time here she has accomplished these things,” he said. “She probably plays the ball 15-20 yards further than when she was a freshman.”

Titles:Central’s Alyssa Montgomery wins Drive, Chip and Putt national title

Montgomery’s father grew up playing golf with his brother and passed that passion on to his daughter. “We moved to a house with a yard (and) he would chip and hit wedges from end to end. I’d get out there with him and chase the balls and hit a few balls too,” she said. And living near Beverly Park Par 3 Golf Course fueled her passion for the sport.

“She is so well rounded it’s not just about golf with her,” said coach Tony Patterson of Central High school golfer Alyssa Montgomery, pictured on the first day of the AJGA state tournament at Willowbrook Golf Club in Manchester on Sept. 25, 2018.

“I know people see it as a boring and quiet sport,” said Montgomery. “But, I meet new people all of the time at tournaments. And I have so much fun just practicing and competing against my friends. We are always joking and talking, we’re definitely not quiet.”

The high schooler also balances her time on the bowling and robotics team with her school work. “When I go on trips, I take my school work and I’m either reading or working on my computer,” she said. “I communicate with my teachers, have my deadlines in my mind and get work from my teachers ahead of time, so I’m not too far behind.”

Now that Montgomery’s high school career has ended, she plans to focus on an upcoming qualifier in North Carolina. “I’ll be focusing on my national golf, which starts in the spring, and the big focus will be on those tournaments and playing some courses in Virginia and getting ready for the college aspect next year.”

Montgomery has committed to Virginia Tech, where she hopes to major in environmental engineering.

She was initially focused on attending an SEC school, but once she started exploring the programs farther north she was impressed. “We started emailing back and forth with the coaches there and we really loved the school,” she said. “It’s a fast-growing, new program.”

“As far as beyond that, the sky is the limit with Alyssa and her golf,” said Patterson. “I think she has aspirations of playing professionally, and I think she has the ability as she gets a little bit older and stronger to have that opportunity to go out and pursue that.”

And for Patterson, it is the end of an era. After 15 years as golf coach at Central High School, he has submitted his resignation. While pursuing other opportunities, he hopes to play a little more golf himself.