LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — UNLV golfer McKenzi Hall teed off at the LPGA's T-Mobile Match Play at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
A junior and Las Vegas native, Hall was granted a sponsor exemption by MGM to participate alongside pros in the event. She will compete in qualifying rounds Wednesday and Thursday, trying to make the next round of the event that goes through Sunday.
I was among the crowd following Hall in her 18-hole route and caught up with her before tee-off.
"I'm very excited," Hall said. "I'm a little nervous but I think I'm going to do well. I'm just going to take it one shot at a time."
"It's extremely special," McKenzi's mom, Isabel Hall, said. "This is her first LPGA tournament so I'm really excited but super nervous."
"I'm so proud of her," UNLV women's golf head coach Amy Bush-Herzer told me. "I sent her a text message this morning that said 'Enjoy every moment from the day. Learn everything from the day that you can and enjoy the moment.'"
Caddied by her father through Match Play, Hall was living out a dream that she's had since she started playing golf when she was three years old. Representing her hometown Rebels is putting a spotlight on the UNLV team and local women's golf.
"I think it's a really great opportunity for her and for our team as well," McKenzi's teammate, Thienna Huyhn, said. "Having someone, especially McKenzi, represent us, it's a good thing for Vegas and for other golfers to see."
"We've been playing junior golf since I was 11 and she was nine," McKenzi's friend and former UNLV golfer Aliyah Williams said. "I've seen the whole growing process from her and it's amazing to see her play with the professionals."
Hall had her hiccups in the early going of her performance Wednesday, falling behind in the standings. Regardless of how her scorecard turns out, she's getting to learn from pros.
"Just watching these professional athletes around, you can pick up how they hit shots, how they talk to their caddies, how they interact with the crowd," Bush-Herzer said. "She was hitting shots between Rose Zhang and Brooke Henderson. How cool is that? What a cool experience for this young lady."
You can watch T-Mobile Match Play on Golf Network or on Peacock as play continues through Sunday.
