GAM Junior Girls Player of the Year (15 and Under): Lillian O’Grady of Grand Rapids

Lillian O’Grady of Grand Rapids didn’t like golf at first.

“My dad had to kind of force me to give it a try,” she said. “I didn’t want to practice or have anything to do with it.”

Two years later at age 10 she realized she was surprisingly good at the game. O’Grady, whose family lives near Watermark Country Club, parlayed several top finishes across the summer schedule and has been named the 15-and-under Junior Girls’ Player of the Year.

“I feel really excited I won this,” O’Grady said. “This kind of reward makes me feel like I’m getting closer to my goal of playing Division I college golf.”

O’Grady keyed her summer season as the 15-and-under Michigan Junior Girls’ State Amateur Stroke Play winner. She topped the points standings with 958. Grace Slocum of Traverse City, the Michigan Junior Girls’ State Amateur Champion, was second with 831 points.