Golf

Just shy, but still Pinellas' best

Andrea Messer and Danielle Jackson thrived locally then barely missed state titles.

By BOB PUTNAM
Published December 13, 2005

Standing on the 18th tee of the Links at Pointe West in Vero Beach, Largo's Andrea Messer was in the midst of a sudden-death playoff with Stuart Martin County's Alexandra Buelow.

Tied for the lead through 36 holes, the two were shuttled off to the par-4 18th to produce a champion at last month's Class 2A state tournament. Messer went first and hooked a 9-iron to the right. Buelow hit a gorgeous shot that landed a few feet from the cup.

On the brink of letting her first state title slip away, Messer went through a series of languid practice swings, her serenity seemingly unruffled. In those blue eyes, there was a familiar focus and no fear. But she couldn't catch up and watched Buelow birdie the hole.

Danielle Jackson understood her pain.

She was playing a few miles away in the Class A tournament against a stellar field that included Boca Raton St. Andrew's Morgan Pressel and Melbourne Trinity Episcopal's Vicky Hurst.

Jackson, a senior at Northside Christian, stayed within striking distance, shooting a first-round 69. But she faded a bit as Pressel, who finished second at the U.S. Women's Open, won her third consecutive title in a two-hole playoff.

"It was definitely a challenge playing with players as strong as Morgan and Vicky," Jackson said. "Morgan is basically on the LPGA tour, and Vicky will be there soon. It was probably unlikely that I was going to beat them, but you have to play with who you're put with."

Still, Messer and Jackson showed a lot of grit.

Messer competed with teammate Evan Jensen for top honors among the county's public school golfers. In fact, the two were so good, they often measured their skills against the boys. They fared well. At the Green Devil Invitational, Messer finished fifth.

"I wanted to get to state," Messer said. "But I also had some other goals, such as playing with the boys and doing well against them. I'll keep playing against them, and that'll help me get to the next level and, hopefully, win the state meet."

Jackson, the Times 2004 golfer of the year, was the key on a Mustangs team that returned four of five starters from last season's team that won the Class A title.

The only one missing was Dakoda Dowd, a homeschooled seventh-grader who skipped the season to spend time at home while her mother battles breast cancer.

Her departure left a gaping hole. Ultra-deep Northside found Ryan Ashburn to take her place.

But the key was Jackson.

Last summer, the Stetson recruit qualified for the U.S. Girls Junior Championship, a tournament that has served as a training ground for future pros such as Nancy Lopez, Kelli Kuehne, Beth Bauer and Aree Song.

During her flight to Eagle, Idaho, for the tournament, Jackson sat next to Pressel.

Jackson did her part to keep up with Pressel and keep her team in contention.

At the region tournament, Jackson was the only player to shoot under par (71) as she helped Northside Christian win. Northside finished third at state. Still, Jackson did her part.

"I still felt we accomplished a lot of things," Jackson said. "We lost one of our best players, and we still won the Bay Conference and district and region meets."

[Last modified December 13, 2005, 01:31:15]