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Shorter University lands South Effingham's Cheney
Abbie Cheney
South Effingham’s Abbie Cheney listens to coach Mitchell Curry list her accomplishments during a signing ceremony at the school Thursday. - photo by Mark Lastinger/staff

GUYTON — Coach Mitchell Curry gushed with compliments about Shorter University-bound golfer Abbie Cheney during a signing ceremony at South Effingham High School on Thursday. 

“I just want to thank everybody for being here to celebrate this day and I want to tell you what a great person Abbie is, and Shorter University is lucky to have her. Not only is she a tremendous golfer, she was the perfect example of a student athlete,” Curry said. “It just goes to show what you can do when you apply yourself as far as grades. I’ve never had anybody — in my many years of coaching baseball — who had over a one hundred average in chemistry or physics or some kind of class. I don’t even know what it was but I was looking at her grades and was like, ‘My goodness! Wouldn’t it be nice to have these grades?’

“She is a tremendous golfer and a great person. If you have not seen her play golf, you need to come watch because she is long off the tee and smooth on the greens.”

Cheney started playing golf when she was in the seventh grade. He playing partner is frequently her father, Jeffery. 

“He has always been there for me,” she said. “He gives me every opportunity to do what I want to do. Every weekend, we go and play golf.”

Cheney enjoys the opportunity to play without pressure tournaments provide.

“He’s gotten a lot better,” she joked.

Cheney also thanked other family members, friends and coaches for their support of her golf career. She used play basketball and softball before focusing on the links.

“Once I started playing golf, it just felt right,” she said. “I had more fun practicing golf than softball and I’d rather spend four hours on a golf course than four hours on a softball field.”

Cheney consistently scores in the high 70s. She tallied a 74 in a recent non-school tournament.