A perfect drive is how freshman Audrey Nichols started her match despite the nerves. Nichols placed second in the Manchester Fall Invite shooting 82, only five strokes behind the medalist. Nichols was able to trust her mentality and training on the course, leaving herself NCAC athlete of the week in only her second collegiate tournament!
Nichols has been playing golf since her freshman year of high school. She has gone through the highs and lows of this mentally taxing sport but it hasn’t beaten her. Coach Cari DeAngelis was more than pleased with Nichols’ performance.
“Throughout the round, Audrey was focused and working through the course shot by shot. When she struggled on a couple of holes, she was able to keep her composure and not let it derail her round,” said DeAngelis.
Resilience is a key quality when it comes to the game of golf. Having the mental toughness to bounce back from a bad hole is what separates the good from the great. Nichols discussed how even if you are playing the best golf of your life, keeping your composure and mentality is what will put you on top.
“This round was very stressful because I shot 2 over on the front nine and was feeling pretty good going to the back nine. Then I got to the back and things started to fall apart; I was struggling to get a par,” said Nichols.
Although Nichols was feeling the pressure of her collegiate career, Coach DeAngelis was not worried as she knew the athlete she recruited.
“Audrey is a skilled and dedicated golfer. She strives to continually improve her game through her hard work on the course,” said DeAngelis.
It is safe to say that Nichols is a promising new addition to the Ohio Wesleyan Women’s golf team. It is a rewarding, yet rare, experience to see your hard work pay off. Nichols gets the enjoyment of living this reality that some athletes only dream of.
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