10-Year-Old River Hills Girl Youngest Ever to Qualify for USGA Event

The golf world is calling her the next Tiger Woods.

At the age of 10, River Hills resident Latanna Stone qualified at the Wanderers Club in Wellington for the 2012 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship. According to Golf Digest, the fourth-grader shot a two-under 70 to take medalist honors at her regional qualifier in Florida on July 13. That feat makes her the youngest ever to qualify for the USGA event.

Stone will compete against 155 golfers in the U.S. Women's Amateur Aug. 6-12 at The Country Club in Cleveland.

A Valrico native, Stone, who is home-schooled and practices golf five days a week, began golfing at age 2.

"My dad gave me a broomstick because he saw me swinging outside," Stone told GirlMogul. "My dad said that that was a pretty good golf swing. So, I started playing golf."

Originally coached by her father, Mike Stone, she is now coached by noted instructor Brian Mogg and Charlotta Sorenstam, a winner on the LPGA Tour and sister of Annika Sorenstam. He dad serves as her caddie and her mom, Yuen, is her official videographer.

In just eight years playing the sport, the young golfer has won more than 100 tournaments.

On her Twitter page, Stone said she was looking forward to the championship next week.

"Thanks everyone for the well wishes I received for qualifying for the U.S. Women's Amateur," she tweeted. "So happy and excited to play."