ATTLEBORO - She kept whacking away and by the time her golf ball landed in the cup on the No. 9 (backside) par-4 280-yard hole at the Highland Country Club Monday, Elizabeth Laverghetta discovered that she had hacked an "11" on her scorecard.

Ink it as another learning experience for the 14-year-old Norton resident, a soon-to-be Lancer freshman, who carded a round of 94 Monday while competing in the annual Attleboro Area Golf Association's Women's Championship Tournament.

Having captured her divisional title at the AAGA Junior Tournament a week ago on the same layout, Laverghetta was granted an "exemption" into the field for the Women's Tournament. With a sweet swing and a superb short game, indications are that Laverghetta has all the trademarks and tools to become another Angel Fillipovich-McLeod, another Roberta Hunt, another Donna Ahlquist-Beach, two of the veteran and tournament-tested players that she was paired with.

"She has a lot of potential," said Hunt, the 2008 AAGA Women's Tournament titlist, having carded a 5-over-par round of 78, of Laverghetta. "She has a great swing, she'll be a great player."

Hopefully as great as Hunt - the Wannamoisett CC member from North Attleboro, who "outcoached" her nearest rivals - runner-up Theresa DeGirolamo (83), the Mansfield High field hockey coach and Deb Carreiro (85), the Attleboro High softball coach. Carreiro and another ex-Bombardier softball star, Helen Geisel combined, to card a best-ball, two-ball score of 61, having a two-shot margin for the divisional title over the DeGirolamos, Theresa and Sue.

Laverghetta, the youngest player in the field of three dozen women and representing the MGA-Links Course in Norton, was coaxed out onto the course by her dad, Paul Laverghetta, seven or eight years ago. Her older sisters, Kristen and Jaclyne, opted out of the fairways.

"I love the game, I love the challenge," said Laverghetta of her tee to green experiences. "The one thing that I've already learned is that I can always get better."

She unabashedly bashes her drive, similar to the stroke she has at the plate as a second baseman for the Norton 14-under all-star softball team.

"That was not a very good round, I could have knocked off about 10 strokes," said Laverghetta, who would like to replay the No. 9 hole, hitting into some scrub-brush and bushes, unable to move her ball. "I hit it over the green into some bushes and I couldn't take a lift. I kept missing it, it was horrible," chuckled Laverghetta of the extraordinary feat.

So Hunt and Ahlquist-Beach came to her rescue, perhaps not physically, but more of the life-long philosophical nature. "That's what we kept telling her all through the round, to learn from all of your experiences," said Hunt. "She wasn't sure of some of the rules, so we helped her with that.

"We tried to help her with her options (club selections, rolls on the green etc.). It's great to see someone of her age playing and playing tournament golf."

Hunt was just 3-over-par through 13 holes, likewise starting at the No. 3 hole - having four bogeys and a birdie on the 160-yard, par-3 No. 13 hole. Hunt (a soon-to-be mother of the groom, Bob) was just 1-over-par on the backside, "the greens were beautiful, it was a great track," said the MGA Women's Tour veteran.

DeGirolamo, who began her round at No. 7, double-bogeyed No. 8 and No. 15, while having to ink a triple-bogey seven at No. 18 in making the turn.

Laverghetta had six double-bogeys on her scorecard along with a birdie on the par-3 (frontside) No. 9 hole. Laverghetta is one of a few handful of teenage girls who actually play the game of golf. "I'm trying to get a few friends of mine into it," she added. "It's not a big sport for people my age."

Soccer, softball and basketball for sure. "I'm a slap hitter when I play softball, so I have to correct my swing a bit when I play golf," said Laverghetta. "My wedge, my short irons are the best part of my game right now and I love hitting off the tee."

She'll play nearly a half-dozen times a week, mostly at the instructional-friendly MGA-Links facility along Route 123 in her home town. "It's like target golf, it helps with my shot-making."

Laverghetta is on target to become a member of the Norton High varsity golf team in the fall too. Laverghetta's dad helped turn his youngest daughter into a golfer with oodles of potential, having outings at the Norton CC, at the Pine Oaks Golf Course, at the MGA-Links, at driving ranges. Now, she has idols such as Lauren Ochoa and Paula Creamer, two of the current LPGA leading ladies, as inspirations.

In addition to Hunt, Ahlquist-Beach and all the other AAGA gals of golf.

"It was a lot of fun to play in a tournament of this caliber, to play with really good players," said Laverghetta, the numbers on the scorecard, 45 and 49, being just that.