ATHENS, Ga. — Amira Alexander, a rising junior on the Georgia women’s golf team, will represent the U.S. Virgin Islands at next week’s World University Games in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Sixty-five women’s golfers from 22 nations will compete in the 72-hole event from Tuesday through Sunday at the historic Golf Club Crans-sur-Sierre.
Alexander lived in St. Croix until she was four when her family moved to the U.S. She will be joined on the U.S.V.I. roster by Ali Prazak, who recently completed her collegiate career at Campbell University.
“I’m really honored to represent the U.S. Virgin Islands and can’t wait to get to Switzerland for the World University Games,” Alexander said. “I’m anxious to show the golf world what we can do. I think it will be slightly different, but at the same time you’re playing for your country just like you’re playing for your team at Georgia.”
Alexander, who now resides in Alpharetta, Ga., recently finished her sophomore season at Georgia. In her first two years with the Bulldogs, Alexander has competed in 15 events, including a pair of top-10 individual finishes. Last season, Alexander was tied atop the individual leaderboard after 54 holes of play at the John Kirk Panther Intercollegiate before losing in a sudden-death playoff. She has compiled a 76.58 stroke average during 40 rounds at UGA. Alexander capped off her sophomore campaign with a career-best 4-under 68 in the final round of the NCAA East Regional.
“I really want to play in the Olympics some day,” Alexander said. “Maybe this is a stepping stone to reaching that goal so I’m excited about the opportunity.”
Georgia golfers Emilie Burger (U.S.) and Rocio Sanchez Lobato (Spain) finished eighth and 11th, respectively, at the most recent World University Games competition in 2012 in Liberec, Czech Republic.
The Crans-sur-Sierre layout has also hosted a European Tour event since 1939. The Swiss Open was first contested at Crans-sur-Sierre in 1939, and after a 10-year hiatus during World War II, was held there every year from 1949-1982. The event was renamed the European Masters in 1983.