Gianna Clemente is a 16-year-old from Warren, Ohio who has made multiple headlines in the past month or so. First, she was named to the United States Golf Association National Junior Team. Then, just a few days ago, Golf.com wrote an article about her, because she is playing at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Something that you may not know about Gianna is that for five years, she played on the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour.
From 2017 to 2022, Clemente won 16 tournaments on the Hurricane Tour and was top-2 in three others. When she was just 7, she won the U.S. Kids World Championship at Pinehurst. Then, when she was 11, she was the third youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Amateur. In short, her long resume is more than impressive, and being a Hurricane Junior Golf Tour alumni, we wanted to ask her some questions about being named to the National Junior Team and her golf journey.
What does it mean to you to be named to this prestigious team?
“It is truly an honor to be selected for the U.S. National Team. I have always been passionate about USA Golf and all USGA Events. I am extremely excited to represent the United States on the international stage.”
Can you share one of your favorite moments playing junior golf?
“My best memory of Junior Golf is representing the United States in the Junior Solheim Cup in Spain and Junior Ryder Cup in Rome. This was the highest honor for elite players and I had these events targeted from a very young age.”
How old were you when you started golfing and what got you into the sport?
“I played my first tournament when I was 5 but began putting with my dad at our club in OH when I was just 2 years old.”
What are your career aspirations?
“Play on the LPGA Tour and become the #1 Player in the World.”
What do you want people to know about you?
“I am a passionate and fierce player on the course but very loose and fun off the course. I also take great pride in my work ethic and strongly believe the quote… ‘Champions are made when no one is watching.’”
Gianna has already put together an impressive resume and has been proving on the course that she will has a bright future ahead. It is clear that the hard work has been put in, and the results are becoming apparent. If her past success shows what her future success will be, then there is little doubt that she will be on the LPGA tour very soon. Good luck to Gianna on the U.S. National Junior Team this year and for many years to come!
