Pacific champion Parsons to join Hoosiers
St. Thomas More Collegiate grad happy to be playing with fellow B.C. native Kong
Between high school graduation and a visit to Indiana University, it’s been a busy few days for Mary Parsons of Delta.
At a time of reflection and celebration for accomplishing one of life’s many milestones, Parsons also had a glimpse into her future. Graduating from St. Thomas More Collegiate in Burnaby, she returned Thursday from a trip to Indiana, where she met other freshman athletes about to enter the Hoosiers’ athletics program.
“I think I have a good group to start university with,” said Parsons, a member of Mayfair Lakes Golf Club in Richmond.
“I feel like it’s more exciting than nerve-racking. I’m looking forward to it. I feel more comfortable now, meeting people there now before actually showing up in August.”
Parsons will join the women’s golf team for the 2017-18 season. There is certainly an international feel to the Hoosiers’ roster, with players from Myanmar, Thailand and Uruguay, in addition to four players from the United States — Indiana, Florida, Ohio and California.
Parsons, however, won’t be the only Canadian. In fact, she won’t even be the only British Columbian. She’ll join West Vancouver’s Alix Kong, who enters her senior year with the squad.
Knowing a familiar face should help Parsons get acclimatized to her new surroundings in the fall.
“I looked up to her when I was a junior and still do,” said Parsons, when asked about her decision to attend Indiana, and the influence Kong has had early in her career.
“She really enjoyed (being at Indiana) and it was nice to know someone on the team coming in. And it’s a good business school.
“I’m still debating if I’m going into business or some sort of premed route. But I think it’s a good school overall, which is something I was looking for. The people around the school are really nice and it has good hospitality.”
Parsons and Kong have played amateur tournaments together, and it’s believed the plan is for the latter to show Parsons the ropes during her inaugural year.
“She was one who was really charismatic and open to everyone. Made them feel close,” said Parsons. “Coaches are hoping that she’s going to mentor me on the team. I think the two of us put together will be strong contenders and hopefully have a good year together.”
Parsons says she didn’t begin playing golf until about Grade 6, but was a big hitter off the tee right away. She had played soccer before that, and her athletic foundation helped make the transition into golf easier.
Now a member of Golf Canada’s development squad, Parsons has continued to progress through the amateur ranks. She finished 2016 as the winner of the Future Links Junior Order of Merit, winning last year’s Pacific Championship at The Dunes in Kamloops. She shot a six-under par 66 on the first day and never looked back, posting a final score of 10-under par to win by four strokes.
She defended her title in May, capturing this year’s tournament at Chilliwack Golf and Country Club in a playoff after putting together a final round of five-under par 67. Her round included six birdies, as she roared back into contention. She had a terrific round, one that was about as calculated and precise as any competitor could hope for.
“I think it was one of the best rounds since I didn’t really get frustrated,” said Parsons, the runner-up at the 2016 B.C. Amateur Championship.
“Once I finished a hole, I moved on to the next one and tried to make the lowest score on there. I didn’t really think about the last hole. I tried to keep the momentum going throughout the whole tournament. For most of the week, I learned to just stay patient and know I’m able to make birdies from tons of different areas on the golf course.
“I guess it’s a confidence booster for the summer, knowing that last year I won leading from the start but this year, I came from behind to win.”
CHIP SHOTS
Look for a column on Phoebe Yue of West Vancouver in the very near future.
Yue has secured her spot in the upcoming U.S. Girls Junior Championship at Boone Valley Golf Club in Augusta, Mo., from July 16-21. She did so after firing a round of two-over par 74 in a Monday qualifier at Merced Golf and Country Club in Merced, Calif.
According to the online scores, Yue triple-bogeyed the second hole and bogeyed the third before settling back into her round and making some birdies to put her into the top six, solidifying her spot in the field at Boone Valley in a few weeks.