Last Friday, at the Johnsen Classic, sophomore Maya Fitzgerald’s eagle on hole 17 helped guide her to a personal best score of 82. Maya’s score placed her in a tie for third with Sparta’s Emalynn Benham; she helped lead the Rangers to a fifth-place finish out of ten other schools. 

Fitzgerald credits her calmness for the good day. According to Maya, prior to the round, the Rangers were relaxed and enjoyed time with one another. However, it was clear that it came time to tee it up; the girls focused on the task at hand.

“The team was having fun but focusing at the same time,” Maya said. “That really helped me release the pressure I put on myself before the round.”

Maya has been working on taking the pressure off of herself, which is a threat that many golfers struggle with. This season, she has made it her personal goal to stay out of her own way.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself before every round that I play, and it usually gets into my head,” Maya stated. “I perform the best when I don’t feel pressured, and I just go out and have fun.”

Even though Maya still has plenty of things to work on, her teammates were very excited for her. Sophomore Skyler Tierney made her appreciation for Maya clear, claiming that “Maya went beast mode.”

Despite Fitzgerald’s impressive performance, the Rangers struggled as a team. Senior Alyssa Cheslek shot 96, while Skyler carded a 94. The girls continue to struggle on the putting surface, according to head coach Paul TenEyck. 

“Putting is something that I will continue to drill in practice,” TenEyck said. “There is no doubt that it is one, if not the, most important facets of the game.”

Next up, the Lady Rangers host their home conference jamboree at Watermark Country Club. This event will take place on Tuesday, September 14, where the girls will look to climb in the conference standings.