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Oklahoma Junior Masters Champion Jenni Roller shares tips on playing Southern Hills

TULSA, Okla. — The PGA Championship continues in Tulsa this weekend, attracting tens of thousands of spectators to see the best golfers in the world at Southern Hills.

In order to gain a better understanding of the challenges of the course, FOX23 News spoke with 18-year old Jenni Roller of Jenks who just prevailed at the Oklahoma Junior Masters on May 7th.

Roller won the tournament at Southern Hills after she shot 66, seven under par. The young golfer has accepted a full ride scholarship to play golf at the University of Tulsa this fall.

We met up with her at the PGA Championship on Friday to gain her perspective on just what makes this golf course so challenging.

“You have to know where your tee ball’s going to go because the fairways are tight,” Roller explained. “There’s bunkers around the greens that you can just get in and they’re super hard.”

She also talked about the slope on the greens: “You could hit a great shot, and then it could just roll off especially with the wind.”

We asked Roller if she had any tips for the world’s greatest golfers who are playing Southern Hills this weekend.

“I would say just be patient,” she said. “You can’t get too cute out here; it’s forgiving with birdies, but you can also make really high numbers if you’re not careful with where you hit your shots so you just have to be patient and let the putts fall.”

Roller, who just graduated from Regent Preparatory school of Tulsa, said her favorite player is Tiger Woods, describing him as “the best to ever play this game.”

When asked what sets Woods apart from other famous golfers, Roller mentioned the mental aspect of the game.

“I think just mentally he’s always had an edge over everyone because his dad has just taught him so much,” she said. “I mean he was watching his dad hit golf balls even before he could walk, so he just has that mental ability that no one else has.”

Roller said she would like to see more young girls playing golf, especially in Tulsa.

Her mom, Maggie Roller, is the director of the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf of Tulsa Chapter. It’s a non-profit that serves girls ages 6-16 by holding clinics for girls at LaFortune Park for only $10.00.

She said it’s great way for girls to learn the fundamentals of golf and meet with other girls who play golf in Tulsa. There are no tryouts and the non-profit buys the girls shirts and clubs if needed.

For more information on how to sign up, click here.

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