Avon's David Russo Wins Lake of Isles Junior Golf Championship

Avon's David Russo, 12, recently won the Lake of Isles Junior Golf Championship in Stonington.

This year marked his first year of signing up for tournaments.

"I ended up coming in first for the 10-12 year category with a score of 40 which was 2 under the second place finalists," Russo wrote about the Stonington tournament in an email to Patch. "The highlight of play for me was getting 5 pars in a row. This was my first time at Lake of Isles. I enjoyed playing there."

He said he has played golf "seriously" for two years, but his dad, Paul Russo has taken him to the driving range since he was 7.

"I was excited," Russo said of the Lake of Isles results. "My goal was to just play well, so it was exciting to play the way I did and placing was a bonus."

Russo also enjoys running in 5K races and said he enjoys snowboarding and playing basketball in winter.

What is Russo's secret to success in golf and how does he prepare?

"I get a good night's sleep, eat a good breakfast and hit the driving range before every match. It clears my mind and gets me in 'golf mode,' Russo said. "As far as training, my dad is a great source of inspiration and encouragement.  I try to practice everyday, and he guides me through it all."

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