Published: Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 1:00 a.m.
VENICE - Casey Kennedy and Crystal Smith are the first Venice High School female golfers to sign Division I scholarships in 15 years.
Kennedy, the 2007 Florida High School Class 2A state champion, is headed to Auburn next fall. Teammate Smith is going to the University of Illinois.
Coincidently, both seniors moved to the Venice area about 10 years ago from Maryland, and their games matured through the Greater Sarasota Junior Golf Association.
Kennedy had multiple offers. She selected Auburn over Texas, Texas A&M, Mississippi, New Mexico and Stetson.
American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) is a proving ground for college-bound juniors, and college recruiters comb the tournaments for talent. Kennedy made a name for herself in the summer of 2007 when she won an AJGA event.
"That was great exposure," she said.
After that, she won the Class 2A state high school individual title and was named the Amateur of the Year by the Southwestern Florida Chapter of the North Florida PGA. She also won another AJGA tournament this past summer.
"She is just a down-to-earth kid," said Judy Christman, the executive director of the GSJGA.
In addition to winning two City of Sarasota Junior titles, Smith captured the 2008 Tournament of Champions, the GSJGA's year-ending tournament at The Founders Golf Club. She shot 74-75 -- 149. She also qualified for three AJGA events and played for the South team in the Florida Junior Cup.
Other than golfers associated with IMG Academies, it is unusual for two girls from the same school to earn Division I scholarships.
The last time it happened at Venice was 1993.
