| Allie Jordan |
Senior Allie Jordan is one of two players on the UTSA women’s golf team who has been with the program since its inaugural season in 2004. The squad is off to a fast start with a pair of top-five finishes this fall (4th at North Texas Classic/2nd at Yale Intercollegiate). It was the Yale Intercollegiate where Jordan captured the program’s first-ever individual title. The Monahans native shot a 71 to edge Heather Arison (Brown) and Eva Mayr (Fairleigh Dickenson) by one stroke to win the championship. Jordan recently took some time away from the course to discuss her recent success, her outlook on this season and the future of the program.
Tell us what your thought process was as you were playing last weekend at Yale Intercollegiate.
“I didn’t do anything different. I was just playing my own game, doing my own thing. I was also considering my team because if you do well as an individual, then the team will prosper. That is the goal of golf, so I didn’t change my mindset at all.”
Did someone let you know how you are doing or did you find out at the end of your round?
“There weren't a lot of scoring updates during play, so I found out when I turned my score in. I was hoping that even par would get me at least a top-10 finish, but I ended up winning it, which was very exciting.”
What was your initial reaction when you won the individual title and your team finished runner up in the team standings?
“I was more happy for the team because we finished ahead of a lot schools that were ranked ahead of us. When I realized I had won the tournament, I was astonished because I didn’t think even par was going to win the tournament, but it did.”
Due to weather conditions, how did you feel about playing this course?
“Well, I had never seen the course and our practice round got cancelled, so we just went and walked the course in the rain. I also was sick on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so only playing three holes was frustrating because we had sat in heavy rain for almost two hours and did not get to finish. We took in the factor that everyone was playing in the same conditions and we had to go with it. I really think we had a good attitude and that is what led us all to play well the next day.”
What else did the team do while on the East Coast?
“The team went to New York and really enjoyed it, but I didn’t go. They took a train through Grand Central Station and went to Times Square. I had been to New York before and I knew I had to get to feeling better. I knew the only way I could help the team was by getting well and not going out, so I stayed behind and did some homework.”
The team has posted two top-five finishes in the past two tournaments. What has Coach Cole done differently this year to motivate the team to do well?
“Coach Cole’s mindset comes from a Top 25 program. She is determined for us to be one of those programs. She has instilled confidence in us and that has really taught us to walk and talk like a champion. I think she has really pushed us to believe that we can do this and just because we are a newer program ,it doesn’t mean we can’t be a Top 25 program.”
Last year, the team was ranked 122nd nationally. How does it make you feel to know that your team is now ranked 93rd in the nation?
“It was a giant leap and I am excited because I know that we can take two giant leaps and become a Top 50 team by next year. My goals this year are to get into the Top 50 and Top 25 because I think our program provides the best golf courses and we have awesome weather. To have our school and UTSA24 backing us is so nice and we know with that we can become a Top 50 team soon.”
Explain how the coaching between your freshman year and now has helped you overcome adversity?
“Well, with Coach Tothe we were all freshman coming in and we all struggled with the same aspects. But Laura (Baker) and I are both seniors now and we have learned how to help the others prevent struggling in the same areas we did. It was just leadership that we needed on the team. Coach Tothe helped us with that and now Coach Cole is doing the same, so credit goes to both of them. They are awesome coaches.”
What would you like to see happen in the golf program after you graduate?
“I would like to see the dedication that we have instilled in this team continue. I think Laura and I have shown good examples of it and I want to see them go for everything and never give a minute of it up because that little extra practice goes a long way.”
What do you like to do other than play golf?
“Well, that’s really all I do. I also like have fun with my friends and family. I have a dog name Chloe and hang out with her too.”
What would you like to do after you graduate?
“I have always dreamed of teaching golf and would love to have the credibility of telling my students that I played at the professional level. I would like to play that for at least a year or two and see how that goes. If it doesn’t work out, I might have to get out in the real world, but at least I can say I did it. It’s really awesome that both of my coaches have played for the FUTURES Tour and they can help me out with it."