Texas A&M Women's Golf
Women's golf continues to roll as postseason play nears
If you have played golf, watched golf or been around the sport in any fashion, you know the game is full of surprises.
The difference between this year's Texas A&M women’s golf team and the rest of us is that their surprises have all been of the more pleasant variety.
With three individual wins, a tournament victory and a plethora of both team and individual top fives so far this year, the Aggies are having a tremendous season.
The stellar play started early at their home event with a third place finish. While the talent was obviously abundant, head coach Trelle McCombs didn’t expect to see it come to fruition quite so early. Especially from freshman Maddie Szeryk, whose second place finish included a mid-tournament, course record 65.
“Maddie was coming off such a good summer that I think it just continued for her. I knew she was going to be a great player, but I didn’t realize she was going to be that close in every event,” McCombs said of her young players debut season. “It’s just been like 'Wow, she’s ready.' She’s a great player, I just didn’t know she was going to be that ready to take on college.”
They’ve won and made quite the habit of it.
Starting with the Seminole Match-Up in early February, the Aggies played in three events and had three individual titles to show for it, the first of which was claimed by sophomore Bianca Fabrizio. Another player that coach McCombs knew was talented, but had happily underestimated at the start of the year.
“Bianca was a surprise in terms of how early she won. We could see it, we could see how good that kid is and I wouldn’t say that it surprised her. it was just more of, 'Oh, okay cool, I won.'"
If winning is cool, than her fellow sophomore, Marijosse Navarro, might as well be Miles Davis. The second year player, hailing from Mexico City, came into Aggieland expecting victories and has done everything she can to fulfill her expectations. She collected two wins in a row and an LPGA exemption along the way.
“With MJ, she’s used to winning. She’s just used to it and finishing strong is part of what she does.”
She didn’t wait long to give her trophy some company as she picked up another win in Hawaii the following event. This time, much to the delight of her coach’s feet, she did it in regulation.
“I was glad that in Hawaii she didn’t take it to a playoff, because my feet were tired.”
That’s not to say that she would not have followed her player for the remainder of her play, because you support your family and with this team and these players, that is how they see themselves, as a family.
“Our philosophy is family first. I was brought up in a family where if someone has something going on, you drop everything and either go help that person, support that person or whatever the case may be,” Coach McCombs said of her team’s closeness, a rarity in women’s sports. “Typically, you have jealousy and drama. You have that with every female sport. These girls are genuinely pulling for one another.”
As successful as their season has been through March, both players and coaches have their sights set on claiming postseason championships. Something Coach McCombs was able to do once already in 2010, albeit with a different team.
“In 2010, Julia Boland was the leader," McCombs said. "She would tell the team, 'When we win the Big 12 this year...' It wasn’t if, it was when we win.”
Instead of coming from one source, that confidence now comes from every player on the team.
“We’re young," said McCombs. "There isn’t necessarily one person who stands out as an outspoken leader, but to watch it all come together has been really cool.”
Winning championships, especially in the SEC, is never easy, but whatever this team is able to accomplish, their fan base should be proud.
Just don’t be surprised.
The difference between this year's Texas A&M women’s golf team and the rest of us is that their surprises have all been of the more pleasant variety.
With three individual wins, a tournament victory and a plethora of both team and individual top fives so far this year, the Aggies are having a tremendous season.
The stellar play started early at their home event with a third place finish. While the talent was obviously abundant, head coach Trelle McCombs didn’t expect to see it come to fruition quite so early. Especially from freshman Maddie Szeryk, whose second place finish included a mid-tournament, course record 65.
“Maddie was coming off such a good summer that I think it just continued for her. I knew she was going to be a great player, but I didn’t realize she was going to be that close in every event,” McCombs said of her young players debut season. “It’s just been like 'Wow, she’s ready.' She’s a great player, I just didn’t know she was going to be that ready to take on college.”
“It’s just been like 'Wow, she’s ready.' She’s a great player, I just didn’t know she was going to be that ready to take on college.”
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As brilliant as Szeryk’s play has been and with six top-10 finishes, including four top-fives and a stroke average of 71.9, you cannot call it anything less than brilliant, other team members have stepped up around her and even accomplished something Maddie has been unable to so far this season. They’ve won and made quite the habit of it.
Starting with the Seminole Match-Up in early February, the Aggies played in three events and had three individual titles to show for it, the first of which was claimed by sophomore Bianca Fabrizio. Another player that coach McCombs knew was talented, but had happily underestimated at the start of the year.
“Bianca was a surprise in terms of how early she won. We could see it, we could see how good that kid is and I wouldn’t say that it surprised her. it was just more of, 'Oh, okay cool, I won.'"
If winning is cool, than her fellow sophomore, Marijosse Navarro, might as well be Miles Davis. The second year player, hailing from Mexico City, came into Aggieland expecting victories and has done everything she can to fulfill her expectations. She collected two wins in a row and an LPGA exemption along the way.
“Typically, you have jealousy and drama. You have that with every female sport. These girls are genuinely pulling for one another.”
{"Module":"quote","Alignment":"right","Quote":"“Typically, you have jealousy and drama. You have that with every female sport. These girls are genuinely pulling for one another.”","Author":""}
Her first time in the winner’s circle came in the UC Irvine Invitational after a five-hole playoff, a playoff that she got into via a final hole birdie. Navarro’s flourish to the finish did not take McCombs by surprise in the slightest.“With MJ, she’s used to winning. She’s just used to it and finishing strong is part of what she does.”
She didn’t wait long to give her trophy some company as she picked up another win in Hawaii the following event. This time, much to the delight of her coach’s feet, she did it in regulation.
“I was glad that in Hawaii she didn’t take it to a playoff, because my feet were tired.”
That’s not to say that she would not have followed her player for the remainder of her play, because you support your family and with this team and these players, that is how they see themselves, as a family.
“Our philosophy is family first. I was brought up in a family where if someone has something going on, you drop everything and either go help that person, support that person or whatever the case may be,” Coach McCombs said of her team’s closeness, a rarity in women’s sports. “Typically, you have jealousy and drama. You have that with every female sport. These girls are genuinely pulling for one another.”
As successful as their season has been through March, both players and coaches have their sights set on claiming postseason championships. Something Coach McCombs was able to do once already in 2010, albeit with a different team.
“In 2010, Julia Boland was the leader," McCombs said. "She would tell the team, 'When we win the Big 12 this year...' It wasn’t if, it was when we win.”
Instead of coming from one source, that confidence now comes from every player on the team.
“We’re young," said McCombs. "There isn’t necessarily one person who stands out as an outspoken leader, but to watch it all come together has been really cool.”
Winning championships, especially in the SEC, is never easy, but whatever this team is able to accomplish, their fan base should be proud.
Just don’t be surprised.
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