Young golfer at Carrollton is way ahead of her time at age 11

Fernanda Carrion listens to Guns N’ Roses, Marvin Gaye and Queen — and that’s the first indication that this sixth-grader isn’t your average 11-year-old.

Last year, Carrion made a l-o-n-g 30-yard putt at the U.S. Kids Golf World Championships at famed Pinehurst (North Carolina).

“I couldn’t believe it,” said Maria Bonelli, who is Carrion’s mother. “It was incredible.”

Carrion shot a three-round total of four-over-par 220, finishing tied for eighth in that international tournament, held at the legendary Pinehurst course that has hosted three U.S. Opens and the 1951 Ryder Cup.

Last month, Bonelli approached Carrion’s coach at the Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, asking if her daughter could try out for the high school varsity despite her young age.

“I said, ‘I don’t think so,’” Grayson Zacker recalled. “I’ve never taken a sixth-grader on my team.”

Carrion tried out anyway — and left no doubt that she not only belonged but that she would shoot up to No. 1 on the Carrollton team.

Then, at her first high school tournament — the Lady Maverick Invitational last month in Fort Lauderdale — Carrion shot a 74, finishing seventh out of 77 competitors, all of whom were significantly older than her.

“I was a little bit nervous — but not after the first hole,” Carrion said. “I was excited.

“To me, golf is peaceful and relaxing, and when I make a putt, it’s an incredible feeling.”

Carrion said she has received loads of encouragement, even from her opponents.

“That was a boost,” Carrion said. “They told me, ‘You are going places. You are going to be so good.’”

Those kids will get no argument from Bonelli, a Peruvian native who came to Miami to play college golf for FIU 25 years ago … and never left.

“I wasn’t as good as my daughter is,” Bonelli said.

Carrion, the oldest of three children, grew up playing golf with her parents, Bonelli and her husband, Puerto Rican-born Pedro Carrion.

The family would often plan their vacations around golf courses where they could all play together.

Carrion started playing competitive golf at age 5, and, one year later, she made it to the regional round of “Drive, Chip & Putt.”

This year, she has qualified for regionals again. If she were to win regionals — held on Oct. 3 in Jupiter — she would qualify for nationals, held one week before The Masters at the famed course in Augusta.

“It’s every golfer’s dream to play there,” Bonelli said. “She would also get to meet the reigning Master’s champion.”

Carrion has other dreams, too.

“I want to play at Stanford University and then become a professional golfer,” Carrion said. “I would also like to study law. I love solving problems and helping the world.”

In the meantime, Carrion is determined to help the nine-player Carrollton team, which also includes skilled players such as sophomore Andrea Montaner and junior Juli Azan.

“She is amazing,” Montaner said of Carrion. “I’m super jealous. She shocks me every time.”

Carrion, who is 5-foot-3 and weighs 92 pounds, is the second-tallest kid in her class, and she can really whack a golf ball. Her longest drive so far is 208 yards.

“She has a strong swing with a lot of power,” Zacker said. “She has a decent amount of lag and a good impact position, which helps her get distance and consistency.”

Bonelli said she just wants her daughter to be happy.

“Fernanda loves golf,” Bonelli said. “She loves practice. Golf is a beautiful game. I don’t want her to be forced to play.

“When her and I practice, we listen to music. We talk. We have the best time.”

Bonelli said her daughter has to be happy to play well. But, at a recent tournament, Carrion shot double-bogey twice in a row.

Carrion wept.

Bonelli stopped the tears by promising to get Carrion a puppy if she changed her attitude and started playing well.

On her next hole, Carrion nearly hit a hole in one, and she finished strong, which led to the arrival of a goldendoodle named Pepper.

“What I love about her game is that she never gives up,” Bonelli said. “She could go triple-bogey and then finish with six straight birdies.”

Walter Villa can be reached at wvilla07@yahoo.com.