The Texas A&M women’s golf team will look to reclaim the Big 12 title this weekend for the third time in four years in Lubbock, Texas at Rawls Golf Course after finishing 2nd behind Oklahoma State in 2008.
“The girls feel that going into Lubbock and play on a “neutral” site between us and Oklahoma State, their chances have increased immensely,” said A&M Head Coach Trelle McCombs. “I think they are going into this thing believing they can win, truly believing they can win.”
So far in the 2009 season, the Aggies have seen both success and failure winning the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitation in Hawaii on March 18 while finishing second to last on February 11 at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge.
The Aggies have been away from tournament play for the last three weeks after finishing 14th place at the ASU Ping Invitational on April 5. Despite the time away from tournament competition they feel that their performance at the Big 12 will not be effected by the absence.
“[Time off] has given us a chance to do some things to prepare for the shots that we want to hit when we get to Lubbock,” McCombs said. “Being off competition can make you tournament sloppy, but that hasn’t seemed to effect us so far.”
When the Aggies reach Lubbock, they can expect the ever present “West Texas Winds” to make the challenging Rawls Golf Course more difficult. Although wind is typically a hindrance in golf, senior Lauren Johnson welcomes the windy conditions.
“The last two times we have won Big 12 as a team it was very windy at the tournament,” Johnson said. “I am not concerned about the wind. It blows out here in College Station too.”
The key factor the Aggies feel will play to their advantage at the Big 12 Championship is the fact that three of their five players have played Rawls Golf Course more than once. Sophomore Stephanie Smith, who transferred from Texas Tech in the fall, actually holds the course record at Rawls Golf Course with a round of 64.
“I am really excited and pumped to go back,” Smith said. “Obviously I know I can play the golf course really well and I feel like I know the course better than anybody really.”
For the Aggies, the Big 12 trophy is not the only thing at stake this weekend. A&M is currently sitting on the bubble to receive an at large bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament and will need a good showing at the Big 12’s to lock in a spot.
“It is very important for us to play well at Big 12’s because we are kind of on the bubble of whether we will get an at large bid,” McCombs said. “I think we are fine, but you never know what is going to happen so it is very important to play well.”
After the Big 12 Championship this weekend, the Aggies will hopefully be invited to the NCAA Regional Tournament which begins on May 7. If the Aggies finish in the top eight teams at the regional, they will advance to the NCAA Championships which begins on May 19.