Entering her second season on the Simon Fraser University Women’s golf team, Michelle Waters has been able to make the transition much easier her second time around.
In her last tournament before the Christmas break, Waters had her best showing this season, finishing in a tie for 11th with a two-round score of 159 at the University of Victoria Invitational at Cordova Bay Golf Course.
“That was a big one for me personally,” Waters said. “It’s one of those ones that was in my head after I had a terrible BC Junior tournament the last time I was on that course. I was able to shoot an opening 79 and followed that up with an 80, so it felt good to finish where I did.
“I left a lot out there but it was definitely a personal victory for me being back on that course once again.”
Waters, who hails from Qualicum Beach, has found her groove when it comes to balancing the books and her clubs so far this year at SFU. One of seven golfers on the women’s side, Waters has been a constant figure in the lineup thanks to her consistent play and a few other circumstances surrounding her team.
“It’s been an interesting season so far,” Waters said. “We’ve got a few players who are ineligible and one out with an injury, so our traveling team consists of just four golfers, instead of our regular five we would have. It’s been nice in the sense that you know you’re guaranteed a spot on the roster but it also adds more pressure knowing that your score is going to count because there’s just the four of us.”
All in all, Waters has been taking it all in stride in her sophomore season, which has come to a halt for the Christmas break as she returns home to Qualicum Beach to spend time with family and friends.
“Things have been better for me this year,” Waters said. “My first year was really tough, so this year I had a lot better idea of what was expected of me and what I needed to do to fulfill those expectations. You have to make sure that you’re staying on top of the schoolwork so that doesn’t become a concern on the course.”
Though Waters hasn’t necessarily had a standout round by her own expectations, she has also finished tied for 23rd in the first tournament of the season in Olympia, Wash.
ington. In her next tournament, Waters finished 28th, shooting a final-round score 79 for a two-round total of 161 at a tournament in Bellingham, Wash.
Trending in the right direction in tournament play, Waters and her teammates at SFU have four more tournaments left in the New Year and she’ll be looking to make the most of it after re-charging over the Holidays with an appearance on the court for the KSS Alumni basketball tournament.
“It’s nice to get away and come back home,” Waters said. “It’s so busy over in the city so to be home for a few weeks is a nice change of pace. Getting to see all the girls again is fun, too; it’s nice to catch up and see how we all handle playing basketball after being away from it for so long.”