It was a history-making moment for Maxine Harney, Monday morning at Indian Ridge Country Club.
The Medford High senior made Greater Boston League golf history becoming the first female to capture the GBL Championship, Oct. 1. Harney shot a personal best 78, taking home the prestigious title in dramatic fashion.
“It hasn’t really hit me yet,” said Harney, 17. “It’s a phenomenal feeling. It’s one of those things where I’m probably going to have to wait a few days to realize that I actually won it, and it actually happened.”
The Jackson Road resident was simply amazing on the green despite some blustery conditions. She ended up tying the best round of golf in Medford High’s long history of competing in the GBL Tourney.
“It’s my senior year, my last GBL Championship and I felt like I had to do something,” Harney said.
She certainly did just that. Teeing off against the top three golfers from each GBL club, the Mustangs senior set the tempo playing at a brisk pace. Although she never expected to make history, Harney found herself playing the game of her life.
“Today was my best round,” she said. “I’ve never broken 80 and the wind today was just brutal. It’s still a little bit of a surprise for me. I don’t really know how I pulled it off. I think my tee shots were fantastic and my putting was good and I think that’s what saved me really. In between the tees and the putting greens, I could have been better, but it worked.”
Winning the GBL championship was certainly special, but becoming the first female to accomplish this task was an added bonus.
“It feels unbelievable,” Harney said. “Being the first girl to win it is really an accomplishment. My dad keeps telling me that no other girl has ever won it and there have definitely been girls playing in it. I can’t really describe the feeling. It feels good though, that’s all I can say.”
According to Medford Coach Ray Dyer, Harney has certainly delivered on all counts.
“Maxine was phenomenal,” Dyer said. “She is such a hard worker and it is all paying off for her.”
The game of golf runs deep in Harney’s family bloodlines. He grandfather, Paul Harney, was on the PGA Tour. But Maxine didn’t really pick up the golf clubs until her sophomore year.
“I grew up in Asia and there wasn’t really the opportunity to play in high school,” Harney said. “This is my third season as an actual competitor. So it’s a little bit of a surprise that I’ve gotten so much better over the past three years. It’s definitely a commitment.”
For Harney, golf has become a natural progression.
“I felt, not really an obligation, but I want to carry on the name,” she said. “[My grandfather’s] a legend and since I’m one of the older kids I should start off setting an example for my younger cousins and all the other grandkids. I guess it just runs in my blood and my heart.”
With the GBL Championship now under her belt, Harney and her team are setting their sights on defending its Greater Boston League title. The Mustangs are currently 8-1 heading into the final stretch of the season
“We have a pretty good shot at winning the GBL again and going undefeated,” Harney said. “We have a pretty strong lineup this year. There are a couple of seniors that have been playing really well. We’re on the right track, which is a good thing.”