fyi...
The advancement to the finals is based on 8 teams from each region. This means that winning the regional means NOTHING! The only thing that matters is finishing in the top 8.
University Club is a beautiful course. There are a lot of traps on the course. Many fairway bunkers from what I remember. I've played it once and it has been a year...EXPENSIVE and private!
Anyhow, the field will be very difficult, but but Coach J scheduled tourneys this year that would put us into these circumstances.
In the ASU Invitational, we played against 10 top 15 teams and finished 3rd. This is just one example of the competition we have faced this year.
This team is very talented and has the potential to do quite well. I would love to see Ashley Knoll come out with a strong vengeance as she finishes up her career at A&M. A tenure that has vaulted her all the way up into the most decorated women's golfer in A&M history. When she began her college career she started off at another highly touted Big XII school, Oklahoma State. After receiving the Big XII Freshman of the Year honor she decided to transfer to our beloved Texas A&M. After posting a terrific Sophomore season, AK would go on to have to most impressive year of golf in the history of A&M. There are so many honors and records that she received that it is hard to find a starting point. So, in short, let's just say that she broke every possible scoring record in A&M history, won the Big XII Tourney by an amazing 6 strokes, won two other tournaments during the year, finished in second place four times, and was named the Big XII Player of the Year. In her Senior she followed up her Junior year with another impressive showing. She claimed 3 individual titles and finished in the top 5 in two others, and was just awarded another Big XII Player of the Year award. AK is a class act and has represented Texas A&M in manner that is best described by her coach...
quote:
“Ashley is one of the finest players in the nation. Every aspect of her game is strong and she continues to improve.” --Jeanne Sutherland
THANKS FOR ANOTHER WONDERFUL YEAR ASHLEY. WE WILL MISS YOU!
Danielle McVeigh is the fish of the team, but plays like a Senior. Coming from Ireland shows you the extent and range of the A&M recruiting. Danielle has done nothing but get better in every single tournament that she has played in. Her most memorable tournament of the year would have to be the Donnis Thompson Invitational in Hawaii. I think playing on a small island brought her back to her roots and gave her some comfortability. In the Big Xii Tourney she helped the Aggies to a 5 stroke win by posting an 11 over par 4th place finish. Danielle is a wonderful addition to the team and we are already looking forward to the years to come.
Lauren Johnson, our lively sophomore, is probably one of the more consistent players on the team. She starts and finishes every tournament in a very solid fashion. Some players are considered to be streaky...Lauren is not one of these players. She continues to help the team with superb play in every tournament.
Ashley Freeman, another fish, has played terrific. She has a lot of potential and the years to come should be very fruitful...especially for someone who just started playing golf.
Christa Spedding, another senior who will be sorely missed. I believe that this year's post season success will ride directly upon Christa's shoulders. Christa is one of those players that is considered to be "streaky". Christa can come out and post some really awesome scores, but can also struggle at times. Christa seems to always have one round that would be close to the best round of the day. If she can keep her focus and post 3 of these round in a row then the Aggies will have the best finish in the the history of the program.
So what is the best finish in Aggie history? Well, it was actually this past season where the Aggies finished 19th in the NCAA Finals. We have made it to the Finals the past two seasons and I am expecting a repeat this season.
So, how far will the team go? I love to make predictions! My wife and I are already trying to see who can predict the date of our baby's birth in November, along with weight and length. I guess it is just a passion that a lot of people have. So what I will give is a "Wishful Thinking", a "Worst Case", and a "Most Likely"...
Wishful Thinking...Top 5 in the NCAA Championships.
Worst Case...Finishing out of the top 8 of the East Regional and not making the Championships. This is not likely, but it is what it is, a "worst case".
Most Likely...The Aggies will finish in the top 5 of the East Regional and make their forth consecutive NCAA Finals appearance. The Aggies play strong, but finish between 10th and 15th completing the most successful year in Women's Golf at A&M!
