COCKEYSVILLE, Md.
Golf stars at just 16 years old, two Baltimore County teens competed this past month alongside the pros, making their big PGA tour debut.
A shot at the big leagues, St. Paul’s School students Sydnee Gaines and Colin Vineberg nailed it. The two competed in the Pure Insurance Championship, which aired on the Golf Channel in September. It was a stop along the PGA Tour, pairing senior pros with junior golfers.
“I won the whole thing,” Vineberg said.
Vineburg took home the trophy alongside teammate, six-time champion, Rocco Mediate.
“I’ve watched him for the past 10 years now,” Vineberg said. “There was a lot of pressure there, but Rocco helped me. It helped a lot.”
Gaines, who played alongside former-No. 1 pro Tom Lehman, had a bit of a different start.
“I got a call from Arizona and I was wondering, I was just like, ‘I don’t know anyone from Arizona, so I probably shouldn’t pick up.’ So, I declined his call and he ended up meeting me at Spyglass and saying, ‘I was trying to get in contact but you didn’t pick up,'” Gaines said.
Besides going pro, Gaines said she’s also considering medical school with hopes of becoming a neurologist.
Gaines and Vineberg were two of 82 youth picked to play in the competition. The opportunity to play comes from the First Tee Foundation. Both have been a part of it, golfing together for over a decade while volunteering to teach others. Now it’s staying on par with what’s ahead — potentially going pro.
“That’s still an option. I definitely want to play in college,” Vineberg said.
“This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So, it was just great being out there,” Gaines said.
Some big goals, they definitely have got the drive.