Chico State women’s golfers Abbey McGrew, Dani O’Keefe, Sydney Zink and Sarah McComish take some practice swings on the tee box.
Excitement is running high for the Wildcat women’s golf team after it broke records and won its season opener Sept. 24 in Avondale, Ariz.
The team participated in the Western New Mexico Fall Intercollegiate at the Coldwater Golf Club and crushed its records by shooting a 4-over par 292, the lowest all-time score in a single round. They also tied the record for lowest two-round total.
Each member of the team agreed that setting records was extremely important this year, and they were happily surprised to smash one of their biggest goals in the first tournament.
Now that team members have reached their goal of shooting a collective score less than 300, they have high hopes of repeating that feat.
Senior team leader Sarah McComish is looking forward to climbing their way toward nationals one tournament at a time.
“Now that we know that winning with low scores is within our reach, we will continuously work hard and practice in order to achieve making it to postseason and ultimately to nationals,” McComish said.
The team was close to making it to the postseason last year, but missed out.
Kathy Dais, the head coach of the team, is looking for consistency this year, she said. She has a really good feeling about beginning the season with a victory.
“We will have our ups and downs, but we work hard and prepare in practice daily to excel,” Dais said. “Winning the first tournament is a major confidence builder, and as the women continue to work hard and together, postseason will take care of itself.”
Team members said they have a strong bond and chemistry that makes playing fun and competitive.
Spencer Downey, a junior transfer student, said that coming to Chico State was the best decision she could have made for her academic and athletic careers.
“The competition and the team dynamic is great,” Downey said. “We get along so well and we are like family. Unfortunately, this is something I did not experience at the community college and I am so glad I am getting to experience it as part of Chico State’s team now.”
To remind herself and her players what the team’s all about, coach Dais has the team motto up in her office. It reads:
“We take one tournament at a time. We play with confidence. We leave it all out on the course.”
Jordyn Provence can be reached at [email protected] or @jordyprov on Twitter.
