Alabama’s Women Golf new season, goals with a Par-tly chance to make it to Nationals as a whole
Duran Golf Course located in Melbourne, Florida (Courtesy of Tee Times USA)
Kenzie Wright during a tournament (Courtesy of Alabama Athletics)
By: Briana Gregory
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.–The University of Alabama’s women golf team ranked No. 12 are swinging into a new season in their upcoming tournament against the No. 37 Louisville Cardinals on February 17. They will be beginning the new season at the Moon Golf Invitational at Duran Golf Course in Melbourne, Florida.
The Ultimate Match Up
The team had a solid performance in the fall ending the year with Kenzie Wright and Angelica Moresco tied for third. The duo fired off a 3-under-par 213 tournament total. This ended their season leading them to finish overall 2-under-par 862.
The Louisville Cardinal’s women golf team finished first in their last tournament with a score of 4-over-par 868 (297-291-280). Sophomore Mairead Martin finished second overall 6-under-par 210 (68-73-69). Freshman Hana Ryskova was 3-under-par that tied her at third in their last tournament.
Their potential win against the Cardinals will grant them the possible win to initiate their season. They would like to start off strong and see what they can accomplish moving forward in various tournaments.
Better Performance, Better Results
The team hopes to develop better results than what they did in the fall because of their numerous second place finishes. The same effort and some fixations can move them from second to first place and lead them down the road to victory and closer to make nationals.
Freshman Caroline Curtis has a record of being a two-time AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) champion before she came to UA. She continues to hold the title and create more by finishing the fall season in her first collegiate top-20 tied at 17th. Curtis highlights the team overall wants to reflect on their performance in the fall to increase their chances to win more tournaments.
“We had a lot of second place finishes, just really close to first place,” Curtis said. “We want to try to build off that. Just keep trying to get better and better.”
Senior Kenzie Wright is a transfer student from Southern Methodist university where she acquired majority of her accolades. In her junior and senior year at UA, Wright has obtained numerous accomplishments especially her current senior year, finishing the fall season 2nd at Ruth Chris Tar Heel Invitational with a 9-under-par 207 (70-69-68). Wright said she would like for not only her but the team to make it to nationals this season.
“I would love for us to do nationals. I personally have never been to national so that’s a huge goal,” Wright said. “I know with our team right now we have a really good chance to do well.”
Love for Golf and One Another
Wright has personal goals despite the goals she desires the team to accomplish. The team’s individual goals go hand in hand with the goals they have for each other. The goals they want for themselves they would like to attain through the tournaments this season.
The team strives daily to practice bettering themselves as an individual athlete and team player for each other because they want the best for one another. Kenzie Wright and Caroline Curtis feel their performance on the course is motivated from how close they are as a team and get to know each other on a personal level. If someone is nervous before or during a tournament then they will take time to give each other pep talks.
“We get along really well and then we’re all super close, so I think that helps a lot,” Wright said. “We really understand each other, and we know what helps each other individually.”
The importance of the tournaments to the players along with the head coach, Mic Potter, is excelling mentally and physically. Luckily, the team has no injuries but only need to consistently improve physically according to their head coach.
“You’re always looking to improve your ranking, so you can get a better seed and the regional,” Potter said. “But to me it’s more a matter of each of our girls building confidence each week.”
Potter said the girls are confident, but not cocky because each of them understand they can always perfect their skills.
“They all know the sky’s the limit,” Potter said.
The team speaks highly of one another and so does Potter as he highlights how the girls learned to re-evaluate their performance after each tournament, humbleness and overall have fun with one another. They have become a family on and off the course.
Sunshine, Breeze and Green
The golf course is surrounded by people who come to support, coaches, team players and competitors with all eyes on the person swinging to hit the golf ball. They pay close attention to see where the ball lands on the green and how close then suddenly an intense feeling occurs. This is the feeling the girls said arises on the course as they play in several tournaments year-round.
The venue the team will be travelling down to at the Duran Golf course features 18 holes and 3-par course. The team looks forward to opening the season with a win and they will not stop nor back down until they are satisfied.
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