Virginia Golfer January/February 2014 | Page 22

VSGA Women’s Division Junior Girl of the Year HOLLANDSWORTH 2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Captured the VSGA Junior Girls’ Championship for a second consecutive year. Reached the final of the VSGA Women’s Amateur Championship. In October, she notched a six-stroke victory at the Group A state championship; Hollandsworth’s individual championship matched the pair of Group A titles her older sister, Jessica, won for Floyd in 2004 and 2007. HOMETOWN: Floyd, Va. HOME CLUB: Great Oaks Country Club, Floyd, Va. HIGH SCHOOL: Senior at Floyd County High School in Jessica’s shadow anymore,’ ” Amanda says. “I think people sometimes take it the wrong way when I say that I want to get out of my sister’s shadow. She was a great player and being able to look up to her has made me a better player because I’m constantly pushing myself to improve. If I didn’t have her, I wouldn’t be half the player that I am because I wouldn’t have pushed myself as far as I have to this point.” WHAT’S NEXT: Hollandsworth will attend Virginia T ech on a golf scholarship starting in the fall of 2014. OFF THE COURSE: In March 2013, Amanda scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to help Floyd County’s women’s basketball team to a 72-62 victory over Central-Wise in the Group A Division 2 championship game. QUICK TIP: “Even though I’m a long hitter, I don’t feel as though I swing hard—unless I’m really mad,” Hollandsworth says with a laugh. “You can swing 100 mph and still hit the ball off the heel or toe of the club or you can swing slower, hit it right in the center and the ball will travel farther—for miles it seems. If you’re struggling with your driver, during a practice session, take time to hit some practice balls with your driver at a tempo that will send the ball only about 100 yards initially, move up to 150 yards and incrementally from that point. Continue to increase your swing speed at a rate where you remain in control of your motion. If the ball starts travelling sideways as you swing harder, your ball flight is sending you a message—you’ve probably exceeded the capacity that is ideal for your body and swing characteristics. Stay under control and swing at a speed that yields solid contact.” RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH PHOTO ARCHIVES IN HER OWN WORDS: Amanda’s older sister, Jessica, was twice a winner of the VSGA Junior Girls’ Championship and set the event’s 36-hole scoring record in 2007. She later went on to star at the University of Maryland, where she was a three-time allAtlantic Coast Conference selection. Amanda admits that having a high achieving sibling has been a motivator. “When I signed with (her college choice) Virginia T ech in the fall, my mom (Susan) looked at me and said, ‘I don’t think you’re Amanda Hollandsworth, who is known to blister her tee shots uncanny lengths, says her length is derived from relying on controlled power. 20 V IRGINIA G OLFER | J ANUARY/F EBRUARY 2014 Master_VSGA_JanFeb_2014_v20.indd 20 w w w. v s g a . o r g 1/3/14 11:40 AM DECKER: MARTINSVILLE BULLETIN; SAVAGE: MICHAEL K. BOHN; KO: JOHN MUMMERT/USGA PHOTO ARCHIVES AMANDA