I grew up at the golf course, but not in the way people might expect.
My dad is a golf pro, so being around the game was normal. I’d go with him, hang out, hit a few balls here and there, but it wasn’t something I felt tied to right away. I played basketball, I stayed busy, and golf was just kind of in the background.
That changed the summer before seventh grade.
My school announced signups for the golf team, and all my friends wanted to do it. I came home, told my parents, and they were all-in. That summer turned into a routine, with my mom taking my brother and I to the course every day, hitting range balls, then playing nine holes. My dad would work with me constantly. Looking back, I was basically getting a lesson every day without even realizing it.
At first, my dad kept it simple. He didn’t care where the ball went, he just wanted me to swing hard. Something that always stuck with me was that he said you can’t teach speed, but you can teach how to control it later.
By the end of eighth grade, something clicked. I started to believe I could play at a high level. That belief carried me through a really competitive high school program where qualifying every week felt like a tournament in itself. Nearly everyone on those championship teams went on to play in college. Winning became normal, and so did the expectation that you had to earn your spot every single day.
That competitiveness shaped me early and it made me love the process as much as the results.
Taking the Long Way to OU
My path to Oklahoma wasn’t direct.
I committed early to an NAIA school. It felt like the right fit at the time, with familiar faces, people I trusted, and a place I could develop. And I did. I had a great freshman year. I won three tournaments, was a national runner-up, and proved to myself that I could compete at a high level.
But things changed.
We had a coaching change early in my sophomore year, and it made me step back and think about what I really wanted. I had always wanted to go to OU. That had never gone away. So, I made the decision to explore something different.
The process moved quickly. I got released, reached out to Coach Veronique Drouin-Luttrell, and she was immediately supportive. That meant a lot. Within a short time, I was in Norman, stepping into a new environment, a new level, and a new challenge.
What stood out right away was how intentional everything felt. The structure, the expectations, the support. It was all there. Everyone around me wanted me to succeed, and not just as a golfer.
That made the transition easier. It felt like I had landed where I was supposed to be.
The Reality of the Routine
From the outside, college golf can look like travel and tournaments. That’s the fun part. What people don’t always see is everything around it.
Most days start early. We lift at 7:50 a.m., and from there it’s a full day. Breakfast with teammates when we can, classes, and trying to stay ahead on assignments. I’ve learned to use any small window of time (like before practice or between classes) to get work done.
By noon, I’m heading to the course. We’ll eat lunch there, get settled in, and practice starts around two. Some days it’s range work and drills, other days we’re out on the course competing. And even after team practice, I usually stay to play a few more holes or work on something specific.
By the time we’re done, it’s dinner, more schoolwork, and getting ready to do it all again.
It’s an all-day commitment. And that doesn’t even include travel weeks, where everything gets compressed and more intense.
I think the consistency would surprise most people. There’s not really an off switch during the season.
But that routine is also what makes everything work. It keeps you grounded. It forces you to be disciplined, especially academically. I finished my undergraduate degree early and now I’m working on my master’s, which is something I’m really proud of. That balance took a lot of trial and error to figure out what worked for me.
When the Game Gets Taken Away
Going into this season, I felt prepared. Comfortable. Like everything was lined up the way I wanted it.
Then my knee started bothering me.
At first, it was manageable. Just something in the background. But around Thanksgiving, it got to the point where I couldn’t swing without serious pain. I went to the doctor and found out I had a pretty severe meniscus tear. That same day, I knew surgery was coming.
It all happened fast. Surgery was scheduled within a week.
There wasn’t much time to process it, and honestly, I don’t think I fully did at the time. I just shifted into getting back as quickly as possible. The recovery timeline was tight (about six to eight weeks) and our first spring tournament was right at that eight-week mark.
In my head, I was going to make it back. No doubt.
But the reality of the recovery was harder than I expected, especially mentally. Every day felt like a question mark. Am I going to be ready? If I’m not, will I get another chance to play? Am I going to be the same player?
Those thoughts were constant.
A Different Kind of Win
My first tournament back was in Gainesville, Fla., at the Gator Invitational.
I didn’t know what to expect. You can prepare all you want, but until you’re back in competition, you don’t really know how it’s going to feel.
That week, I finished top 20. On paper, it might not look like the biggest result. But for me, it meant the world.
It was proof that I could still compete. That the work I put in during recovery was fruitful. That I wasn’t starting over from scratch.
More than anything, it helped me mentally. It allowed me to let go of some of the pressure I had been putting on myself.
That whole experience changed how I see the game. I started to understand that golf is something I do, not who I am. That might sound simple, but it’s not something I fully believed before.
Once I separated those two things, everything got a little lighter.
The People Behind It All
I didn’t get through that process alone.
My parents were a constant support, but what really stood out was my team. Right after surgery, my teammates showed up at my house. They stayed, hung out, brought food, and just made sure I wasn’t going through it by myself.
When my parents left, they stepped in and helped take care of me.
When I came back after break, my coaches were just as supportive. They understood how hard the process was and did everything they could to make it easier. My strength coach built a plan specifically for me and pushed me in the right ways to get me back quickly.
That kind of environment is a difference-maker. It’s one thing to have resources and it’s another to have people who genuinely care about you.
That’s what I’ll remember most about OU.
Finishing With Perspective
Right now, it still feels like we should be playing.
That’s the strange part about the end of a season. You don’t immediately switch into reflection mode. You’re still in it mentally, still thinking about competing, still feeling like there’s more to do.
Being one of six seniors makes that even more real. We’re all going through it together, trying to figure out what comes next.
For me, I’d love to keep playing at the next level and see how far my game can take me. At the same time, I’m interested in coaching. I think that comes from the people who have poured into me over the years.
Either way, I know golf will always be part of my life.
But it won’t be everything.
What I’ll take with me goes beyond scores or finishes. It’s the routine, the discipline, the relationships, and the perspective I’ve gained along the way.
That’s what this experience has really given me.
And that’s what makes it all worth it.
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