Zoe Cusack of Potomac didn’t always love golf. It took milkshake and frappuccino bribes from her dad to get the young Cusack to the range and into clinics.
“I was not the biggest fan, but probably in eighth grade I started to actually enjoy it on my own and practice on my own and wanted to go to the course,” she said.
That practice has paid off. The recent Churchill High School graduate is competing this weekend in the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club in California.
“I’m here to play golf, but this is an amazing experience — learning from the pros, playing with the pros,” the 17-year-old said. “Riviera is really cool. It’s the U.S. Open, so par is a good score, and as long as I don’t make too many doubles I think I’ll be okay.”
Cusack has built an impressive junior career: she’s a two-time Maryland Girls’ Junior Amateur champion, a member of the United States Junior National Team, and will play collegiately at the University of Virginia in the fall.
Though far from home, she’ll have family at Riviera and friends cheering from afar.
“My friends have been super supportive,” she said. “They all bought U.S. Open hats and are wearing them — I’m getting pictures throughout the day of them in different places. One was walking their dog. It’s really cute.”
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