By DJ Ramirez | Sports Editor
Baylor women’s golf is ready to hit the green. The Lady Bears, who finished their last season tied for eighth in the NCAA East Lansing Regional, begin a heavy fall schedule with a trip up to Dallas to compete in the Trinity Forest Invitational.
While head coach Jay Goble is excited to get his team back on the course, the most important work will be done when the spring comes.
“Our message always stays pretty consistent this time of year. You know, we don’t need to be playing our best golf in September. We’re looking to gain momentum throughout the year, work on our mistakes, you know, things that we need to get better at throughout the year and if we can peak in April and May that’s what we’re looking every year,” Goble said.
According to Goble, the fall is really about building team experience and getting to know what his golfers can bring, especially with a new freshman and transfer on the roster.
“I have a group that I just want to get out on the golf course. I think there’s a couple players that I’m still getting to know their games and kind of just see what we have, and get out there and get some experience under our belt,” Goble said.
After competing in a qualifier match for a spot in the lineup, six Lady Bears will tee off at Trinity Forest, playing for 36 holes on Monday and 18 on Tuesday. Junior Gurleen Kaur takes the top spot followed by redshirt senior transfer Elodie Chapalet, junior Diane Baillieux, senior Fiona Liddell and junior Jordan Shackelford, who makes her first appearance on a lineup despite being here for three years.
Freshman Anika Veintemilla and senior Tuan-Yu “Erica” Chiang did not qualify but will still compete in the individual matches on Sunday.
Goble noted that the lineup will probably be shuffled around in the coming weeks and that he feels that the players that didn’t make the low six will have the time to develop their game throughout the season.
“I’m actually having them play for the lineup the following weeks. So, six players are going to go with us to Trinity Forest and the low five out of those six will travel to the next event,” Goble said. “Erica Chiang is somebody who’s been in our lineup all last year. She did not make the low six for the next two tournaments. I foresee that she’s going to get her game back together and she’ll get back in the lineup soon as well. Yeah, I feel good about our depth even though we’re a small team, all seven of them are really, really great.”
Kaur said that the competition in the qualifiers will only make the team better.
“I think it’s great. Competition in qualifying is great, especially since all we do is compete in tournaments,” Kaur said. “Me and Elodie had a really good time qualifying. We both played really well and I think we’re both looking forward to the first tournament. I think pushing each other is what we need.”
