Alicia Wood gets an ace in just third 18-hole round of golf

Many golfers go a lifetime without doing what Alicia Wood did in just her third 18-hole round Monday at Robbinhurst.

The 14-year-old Portage freshman-to-be, who took up the sport only a few months ago, aced the 137-yard seventh hole while playing in at the Bass Pro Shops/Re/Max Affiliates Juniors tournament.

"I couldn't believe it," Wood said. "I was so excited. I was like, 'Oh, my gosh!' My dad was screaming. He's so proud.

"I thought I hit a great shot. I walked over, I was looking around the green, over by the trees. I looked in the cup and the ball was in there."

Wood used a pitching wedge, figuring she could get on the green with the club. She knew she had made the putting surface when she went to get her pull cart and her playing partner mentioned that he thought the ball was in the hole.

"I said, 'No, I don't think so,' and he said, 'Yeah, it went in the cup,'" Wood said. "My dad didn't even see it. I don't know why, but he turned around. He's going to hate himself for that."

Mark Wood, who usually scores in the high 70s but doesn't have an ace to his credit, is one of the reasons his daughter started playing.

"He's always loved golf," Alicia said. "I thought maybe I could follow in his footsteps.

"He took me out with him a few times and showed me a couple things. I loved it. I thought it was really interesting, so I finally decided to try it."

Watching women's golf on TV also intrigued Wood, a straight-A student who began taking lessons with Nancy Bender at Creekside.

"I loved their skirts and stuff -- they're so cute," Wood said. "I thought how professional they looked and how there's always a look of satisfaction with how well they hit the ball. I sort of wanted to feel what that was like, too. It can be frustrating at times, too, but it's very addicting."

A cheerleader for eight years, Wood was taking a class at the Northwest Indiana Gymnastics Center, owned by Karen Barcelli, whose daughter, Mackenzie, is also a member of the Portage golf team.

"I found out there were tryouts for the team, and I've been going to practice since school let out," she said. "I'm pretty sure I'll be on the team."

As soon as she got home Monday, Wood set up a spot on the mantle for the ball, a Nike Juice.

"I believe the No. 7 will be my favorite number for a while," she said.