Girls Golf Player of the Year: Venkatesh helped pace Walton's success

Golf is a game of practice and patience.

One wrong move and an entire game can crumble. Controlling emotions and maintaining focus are key to excel in competition.

A player who excelled in 2022, from the Cobb County Invitational to the area and Class AAAAAAA state tournaments, was Walton sophomore Saanvi Venkatesh, who was named the 2022 Cobb County Girls Golf Player of the Year, as voted on by county coaches.

“It’s pretty important to me because I started my golf journey about two years ago, which is very little time compared to what some of these players I play against,” Venkatesh said. “To see that the hard work that I’ve put in over the time, especially between my freshman season and this season, has paid off means everything.”

Venkatesh held a 76.2 stroke average this season and finished ahead of her competition in the majority of tournaments.

“She just works so hard at it. She’s so committed to being a good golfer and practices 12 months a year, every day,” Walton coach Richard Myrick said. “She is very deserving of the award after winning the county and the area tournaments.”

Venkatesh began the season finishing fifth in the PGA Girls High School Invitational. She later finished as low medalist, shooting 73 in the Cobb County Invitational, and she won the Area 3AAAAAAA tournament with another 73.

Finally, Venkatesh helped lead Walton to a second-place finish in the Class AAAAAAA state tournament with rounds of 73-78. Her scores were good enough to finish in seventh individually.

“There were a lot more expectations on us this season, especially after beating Lambert earlier in the season,” Venkatesh said. “Everyone was counting on us, shooting something low at state, and that sort of pressure just made that situation the toughest one that we had all year.”

For the second straight year, Walton was invited to compete at the High School Golf National Invitational at the Pinehurst Golf Resort in North Carolina, and Venkatesh said she is ready for the challenge.

“Go out there, play three good rounds of golf at nationals and do the best that I can, not trying to put pressure on myself,” Venkatesh said.