Courtney Castner makes Mustang magic

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Lakewood Ranch High junior Courtney Castner carries the weight of her team on her shoulders every time she steps out onto the green.

As the Lady Mustangs’ top golfer, Castner sets a higher bar for herself than for her teammates.

“I think you have higher expectations,” Castner said. “If you do bad, then you’re embarrassed because you’re the No. 1 and you’re supposed to do good all of the time. Everyone has bad days (though).”

Castner felt the added pressure heading into the Class 2A-District 13 tournament Oct. 17 at the Bradenton Country Club; but, instead of letting the pressure get to her, Castner used it as motivation.

Castner shot a team-low 87, finishing third overall and helping lead the Lady Mustangs to a surprising third-place finish behind Riverview and Venice. But even more importantly, Lakewood earned a spot in the Region 5 tournament Oct. 24 at Capri Isle in Venice.

“I was pleasantly surprised,” Castner said. “We thought it was going to be Venice, Riverview and Manatee because they beat us all season. I guess I was just surprised.

“I was having a good day,” Castner said. “(At first) I wasn’t expecting to do well because I was in the sand a lot, and I’m not very good getting out of it. It makes me feel proud. I did it last year myself, so it’ll be nice to have more support.”

A former softball player, Castner began playing golf three years ago after watching her sister’s former boyfriend play.

“Softball was my whole life before that, so when I got burnt out from that I decided to pick up something else,” Castner said. “I thought (golf) looked cool. It was just different. I guess.”

Castner joined the Lady Mustangs golf team her freshman year, but she admits she was by no means a natural.

“It was difficult,” Castner said of her first match. “I pretty much didn’t know what I was doing at all.”

But it didn’t take long for Castner to find her swing. She began practicing every day and within a matter of months she got the hang of it.

Castner helped lead the Lady Mustangs to an undefeated season and a second-place finish in the district tournament her freshman year before advancing to the regional tournament as an individual last season.

And when she’s not playing for the Lady Mustangs, Castner, who is thinking about playing collegiate golf, competes in Greater Sarasota Junior Golf Association tournaments.

But no matter how many tournaments she wins or hole-in-ones she sinks, Castner admits the people are what make the sport that much more enjoyable.

“It’s just fun to meet new people that you wouldn’t normally meet,” Castner said.

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].