Grace Donahue, a junior at Park City High School, finished 21st in the Siegfried & Jensen Utah Women’s Open at East Bay Golf Course in Provo on Aug. 10. The tournament draws elite youth golfers and regional professionals and was a considerable step for Donahue, who qualified by winning the American Junior Golf Association’s Rolex Girls Junior Championship at Promontory’s Pete Dye Canyon Course in June.

Donahue said she struggled on the first day of the two-day tournament, especially on Hole 18, and finished the day with a score of 80. Her second day was more successful, ending with a score of 75 adding up to a cumulative score of 155, tying with Colleen Walsh, a pro from Salt Lake City.

“I had a hard time finding the green the first two times I played it,” Donahue said of Hole 18. “But it was really fun, because on the last day, the final hole, I ended up hitting one of my best drives of the whole tournament and finished with a pretty solid par,” she said. “So I was excited that I got past it, past the mental block I had and ended on a strong note.”

Donahue said the competition gave her a greater appreciation of the courses she regularly competes on around Utah with the PCHS golf team.

“I was talking with some of the players and they were saying they hadn’t played at as nice of courses as we did, so I’m just really lucky to have these opportunities,” she said. “I was really fortunate to be able to play in that tournament and see these players who are so talented and play along with them.”

Throughout the day she was accompanied by a special caddie – her father, Paul.

Donahue said she selected him to help her because of his support for her passion for the game.