Judging by their Instagram posts from the weekend, Valerie and Alexis Mandujano competed in tough conditions at this past weekend’s BATADGA PDGA B-Tier event in Ingleside, TX. Much of the course was flooded—in one video Alexis wades in ankle deep water for her upshot. In the end, Valerie would take the win—her first in FPO—with Alexis finishing in second.
It felt good that, finally, all my hard work is paying off. It’s just another confidence-booster going into another tournament.
—Valerie Mandujano
Sibling Rivalry
Battling for first place is a common theme for the sisters and this event was no different. Valerie edged out Alexis by a mere two strokes, taking first place with a -4 under par score of 126. Alexis finished in second place—just two strokes back—shooting a -2 under par 128 and besting third place by 12 strokes. “I felt my game was pretty consistent all-around, but my forehand let me down. I felt confident in my putting upshots and off the tee,” Valerie said. “The conditions were tough. I told myself to play my game and push through. I concentrated on each shot because I knew there was no room for mistakes with Alexis there.”
Thunder in the Chains
The competition was close, highlighted by Alexis’s ace with one of her favorite drivers, “My go-to disc this weekend was my Thunderbird. I used it for sidearm, backhands, stand still throws, as well as skip shots. I also got a Ace with it!”
Valerie’s First FPO Win
This was Valerie’s first open women victory. “It felt good that, finally, all my hard work is paying off. It’s just another confidence-booster going into another tournament,” she said. Maybe this is a sign of things to come from Valerie in 2019? “I’ll be playing some big events this year and my goal is to finish in the Top 5 in each. By the end of the year, I’d like to finish with a 950 rating.”
Twin Game
It’s easy to see how the two of them could be mistaken as twins. They train together, they like some of the same music and tv shows, and they have a similar competitive fire. But, they are two years apart—Valerie at age 19 and Alexis at 18. Alexis notes some key differences, “On the course Valerie is more talkative. I’m more quiet. I’d rather sit back and listen. Off the course, I love watching sports, she doesn’t. I love Mexican food and she loves American food.”
Family support is something both of them share and helps drive their continued success as Valerie explains, “They support us financially, they take us to places we need to go. Our mom is always on top of everything, booking hotels, sign ups for tournaments, she does alot behind the scenes. Our Dad takes us to play rounds and do field work. Even when he’s tired from work, he makes time for us.”
The Mandujano sisters will compete in the professional women’s division at several big PDGA events this season. If you’re looking for them, aim for the lead card. You can bet they will.
