Migliaccio Makes Golden History in Peru
8/15/2019 4:17:00 PM | Women's Golf
For many athletes, a lifelong dream is to win a gold medal, climb to the top of the podium and hear your national anthem played. In dozens of sports, there are numerous opportunities to achieve this dream, ranging from the Olympic Games to a sport's world championships. However, on the golf course, it is a new phenomenon.
Golf was one of the few sports played worldwide that didn't have a forum to compete for your country in an Olympic-style competition until recently. The sport debuted in the 2016 Olympics, a year after it first appeared at the Pan American Games, the quadrennial international athletic event featuring top athletes from North and South America.
Since that debut four years ago, no American golfer, male or female, had won a gold medal. That all changed last week when Wake Forest rising junior Emilia Migliaccio accomplished the feat at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. In fact, she won two gold medals, winning the women's individual title and teaming with three other Americans to win the mixed team title.
"What made the experience so cool was that it was like the Olympics with athletes competing in so many sports, it was more than just a golf tournament," said Migliaccio. "I knew I was competing for a gold medal and how few chances we have to do that in golf. On that fourth day, knowing I was in contention to win gold, made that final round even more special."
Migliaccio, who earned first-team All-America honors during her sophomore season at Wake Forest, shot under par in all four rounds at the Lima Golf Club. She carded rounds of 70-68-68-70 to finish the tournament at 8-under and post a four-shot victory in the women's individual competition.
"I hit my wedges really well all week and was just dialed in on them," said Migliaccio. "The course had a lot of fairway bunkers in play, but I hit driver off the tee a lot instead of laying up. I was able to give myself a wedge into a lot of greens in order to take aim at the flag. That gave me a big advantage."
In addition to winning her individual title, she teamed with fellow American amateurs Rose Zhang, Brandon Wu and Stewart Hagestad to lift the United States to a five-shot victory in the mixed team competition.
"A lot of the other countries had professional golfers representing them, so we were some of the few amateurs," said Migliaccio. "It was fun to compete against professionals, especially on one of the best courses in South America. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to play and experience competing for the United States in an event like the Pan Am Games."
When the week in Lima was over, Migliaccio got her moment on top of the podium. She was presented her gold medals and heard the Star Spangled Banner. It was a dream come true.
"I had chills through my body the whole time," said Migliaccio. "It was an indescribable feeling. I couldn't stop smiling. I tried to have a serious face as I stared at the flag during the anthem, but I couldn't help myself. I was just so happy. The fact that those moments are so rare in golf made me appreciate it even more."
Golf was one of the few sports played worldwide that didn't have a forum to compete for your country in an Olympic-style competition until recently. The sport debuted in the 2016 Olympics, a year after it first appeared at the Pan American Games, the quadrennial international athletic event featuring top athletes from North and South America.
Since that debut four years ago, no American golfer, male or female, had won a gold medal. That all changed last week when Wake Forest rising junior Emilia Migliaccio accomplished the feat at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. In fact, she won two gold medals, winning the women's individual title and teaming with three other Americans to win the mixed team title.
"What made the experience so cool was that it was like the Olympics with athletes competing in so many sports, it was more than just a golf tournament," said Migliaccio. "I knew I was competing for a gold medal and how few chances we have to do that in golf. On that fourth day, knowing I was in contention to win gold, made that final round even more special."
Migliaccio, who earned first-team All-America honors during her sophomore season at Wake Forest, shot under par in all four rounds at the Lima Golf Club. She carded rounds of 70-68-68-70 to finish the tournament at 8-under and post a four-shot victory in the women's individual competition.
"I hit my wedges really well all week and was just dialed in on them," said Migliaccio. "The course had a lot of fairway bunkers in play, but I hit driver off the tee a lot instead of laying up. I was able to give myself a wedge into a lot of greens in order to take aim at the flag. That gave me a big advantage."
In addition to winning her individual title, she teamed with fellow American amateurs Rose Zhang, Brandon Wu and Stewart Hagestad to lift the United States to a five-shot victory in the mixed team competition.
"A lot of the other countries had professional golfers representing them, so we were some of the few amateurs," said Migliaccio. "It was fun to compete against professionals, especially on one of the best courses in South America. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to play and experience competing for the United States in an event like the Pan Am Games."
When the week in Lima was over, Migliaccio got her moment on top of the podium. She was presented her gold medals and heard the Star Spangled Banner. It was a dream come true.
"I had chills through my body the whole time," said Migliaccio. "It was an indescribable feeling. I couldn't stop smiling. I tried to have a serious face as I stared at the flag during the anthem, but I couldn't help myself. I was just so happy. The fact that those moments are so rare in golf made me appreciate it even more."
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