HISTORY, MADE: Gazzoli wins first golf individual title in Matanzas school history

PALM COAST — It would be inaccurate to say that Matanzas golfer Alexandra Gazzoli was nervous while she waited for the final results to come in at the 2A state championship 

She was calm. After all, she had a good day. She shot 3 under through the first 11 holes and had the lead. She triple-bogeyed 12, erasing all her work through 11, and bogeyed 17. Even then, she felt she could still win. 

Gazzoli just had to wait for American Heritage’s Katherine Schaefer to finish because she, too, was having a good day. Schaefer had racked up three birdies on the front nine and even picked up one more on 17. Then, on 18, Schaefer sealed the deal. 

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“It was kind of suspenseful,” Gazzoli said. “When I saw that she parred the last ball, it was more of a relief thing.” 

Gazzoli won her first state title and became the first golfer — girl or boy — to win an individual championship in school history. 

After the victory was confirmed, head coach Brandie Alred cracked open two seasonal cranberry Sprites — Gazzoli's favorite drink — and toasted to her victory. The victory tasted even sweeter because Gazzoli didn’t think she would even get to play at states. 

Big reputation 

Gazzoli had a bad day at regionals. She shot a 77 and finished 12th, a disappointing effort for a golfer like Gazzoli, who was fresh off a 2A District 4 individual and team championship. 

Gazzoli was disappointed, but luckily, ended up getting an at-large bid to play at states. Alred said she likely got the nod because of her district victory and because she had finished in the top three the last two years at the state tournament. 

“I didn’t think I was going to get into state,” Gazzoli said. “All that matters is just getting there in the first place. It’s not really about what you did before. So I was ready to go play.”

Gazzoli shot 3-under-par 71 her first day at the 2A state championship. She birdied 12 and 14 and eagled 13, showing that she didn’t plan to waste her bid. 

She carded three more birdies her second day and bogeyed twice to finish 1 over, which was just enough to edge Schaefer who had shot 2 under that day. Gazzoli defeated Schaefer by one stroke, 140 to 141, to earn her first state gold medal. 

The victory was three years in the making. Gazzoli felt she could’ve should’ve won states her freshman year when she finished third, she said. When she finished as the runner-up last year, Alred said she knew that this would be the year she got it done. 

“Her expectation and my expectation was that she was going to win it,” Alred said. 

Really, the victory was 15 years in the making. Gazzoli, who has been playing golf since she was two years old, practices every day and plays at least 15 tournaments a year. At this point, her confidence is high and any jitters are nonexistent. 

“It’s almost like second nature at this point,” Gazzoli said. “I don’t really get nervous at all. It’s kind of something I just do.”

What’s next?

Gazzoli will decide soon where she’s going to play in college. Some of the schools interested include the University of Georgia, Oklahoma State and Florida State. 

But before she graduates next year, she’d like to win a team championship and another individual championship. Gazzoli said she thinks the team can make it to states next season. 

Alred will lose senior Emma Markese but will still have Gazzoli, Zoe Alred, Ana Heartz and Arianna Rodrigues next year from a team that won the district championship. The Lady Pirates’ strong year and Gazzoli’s individual state championship gives them the momentum they need for next season. 

“I’m so excited for next year,” Zoe Alred said. “It’s definitely going to motivate me and my team. I feel like it’s really going to push us and help us become closer” 

Gazzoli’s teammates look up to her and try to learn as much as they can. Gazzoli’s big win, Zoe Alred said, showed her that good work ethic and putting in the time could result in great achievements. 

Like becoming the first golfer in Matanzas history to win a state title. 

“It’s going to be a long time before we have another state champion, because she is that good,” Brandie Alred said.