After earning a full scholarship to play golf for the University of Albany and receiving the LPGA Ronald McDonald House Charities Golf Scholarship, Maggie Taylert completed her summer by becoming the youngest player to win the Hillendale Ladies' Club Championship. Taylert defeated her sister, Rasmita, 4 and 3.

Taylert looked at Cortland, Nazareth, Hobart, St. Lawrence and Elmira before deciding to go to Albany and play for a program that moved to Division I in 1999.

"Albany just seemed to fit best in my life," Taylert said Tuesday after practice at the Trumansburg Golf Club. "It's a really good school academically. I want to go for history and international relations and it has a really good program. I met the golf team and the coach is really great. The team is so nice and so cool. They have really good facilities and it's Division I."

Taylert has been a member of the Blue Raiders' golf team since she was in the seventh grade. She's competed mostly against boys, since the IAC doesn't offer a girls-only golf league.

"She does hold her own with our kids and the other teams," Trumansburg coach Rob Reakes said. "Her swing mechanics are excellent. When she's putting well, she can score very, very well. Her ability to drive the ball in play and hit the greens in regulation are her strengths. She just has to keep working on the putting. When it comes together, she scores well."

Taylert keeps busy during the summer, practicing almost daily at Hillendale, where she's a member. Taylert has won her flight of the Hillendale's Women's Championship each of the past four years.

"She's very quiet, but very competitive," said Darlene Sommer, the head golf professional at Hillendale. Sommer has instructed Taylert since she began playing the sport.

"She doesn't like to lose. When she is down in a match, you can see her bear down. Some people don't have that. They can play golf, but they don't have that competitiveness. She likes to win."

Taylert was quick to praise Sommer for helping her game.

"She's been really influential in my life. She's helped my game so much," Taylert said. "She's been so supportive and everybody at Hillendale has been supportive."

Taylert began playing golf when she was six at the encouragement of her parents, Sally and Don. Taylert thanked her parents, teammates and coach Reakes for helping her improve along the way, and said she's looking forward to the challenge of playing Division I golf.