Laura Jones played in the California Baptist Spring Break Invitational with more than golf on her mind. She played with family in her heart. The individual tournament win was dedicated in her grandmother’s memory.
Jones’ spring break win earned her multiple accolades, including NAIA golfer of the week, Sooner Athletic Conference golfer of the week and, of course, OCU’s Super Star.
Jones left the Primm, Nev., course with a co-championship, but not before ending with high drama in the desert.
The senior from Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England, needed to hole an eagle shot with a precarious lie on the par-5 18th to the claim her share of the championship. Primm Perspective, as it’s called, allowed Jones just that opportunity.
“It was important to her to win. She really wanted to and she said that on the last hole,” OCU coach Marty McCauley said. “It was one of those that she had like 190 yards in to the pin and she had a choice to either lay up or go for it. I made her go for it and she landed in the desert, so I thought I really messed her up doing that.”
Jones recounted clinching the co-championship on the last hole of the two-day tournament.
“I was quite nervous walking down the 18th because I knew that there was a chance of winning the tournament,” Jones said. “My coach came and walked the fairway with me on 18. After I had hit my second shot, I was up by the green. He told me how to play the shot and it had to be perfect. It landed and it rolled down onto the green and went in for an eagle. So that was pretty exciting.”
Jones’ fellow competitor with whom she tied, Megan Woodland of Victoria (British Columbia), had already begun her travels home so no playoff was possible.
The tournament win had special meaning for Jones, who journeyed back to England after the loss of her grandmother early in her final semester of college.
“When she was alive I saw her every day,” Jones reminisced. “We were really, really close so it was a big shock and a big loss to the family. She always used to come out and watch me play golf so I had to dedicate that one to her, definitely.”
For McCauley, willing an individual to victory is unusual. The coach places more emphasis on team scores during competition.
“As a coach, you’re obviously more concerned with the team,” McCauley said, “but in the same hand every shot that you save for an individual, you save for a team. Luckily she made the last shot and we got second as a team while she won her individual title.”
Jones and the rest of the OCU women’s golf team have two more regular-season tournaments before post-season is upon the team. Jones is working to take top billing as both an individual and as a group. Not only for herself, but for her grandmother.
More on Laura:
Reason I picked OCU: Great reputation and great track record
Number of text messages I sent today: Too many to count!
If I played another sport, it would be: Football
Favorite game show: Deal or No Deal
Favorite OCU professor: Dr. Latham
