Diverse group sparking Knights
Foreign students contributing to team’s success
As the wind howls between the trees at the Twin Rivers Golf Club, the sound of multiple spoken languages connects the UCF women’s golf team.
With 5 of 6 players being foreign students, coach Emily Marron said the upperclassmen international players can help when welcoming freshmen.
“It’s a big thing to come here from a different country,” Marron said. “We’ve had a lot of girls who’ve been through that experience, so they know what it is like.”
The juniors and seniors show them around and introduce them to not only the UCF culture, but U.S. culture.
One of the foreign players is junior Tunrada “Pat” Piddon. A Thailand native, Piddon was named the American Athletic Conference Golfer of the Month for October when she finished first at the Evie Odom Invitational. She established a UCF scoring record with 67-66-67 for a 200 total (10-under par) .
The previous record was
7-under par by Elizabeth Moon in 2018.
UCF secured the team title with 841 (+1), the lowest 54-hole total in the program’s 39-year history.
When the going got tough, they stuck together. Their uniqueness has made them stronger.
“No matter if it’s golf or life, we are always exchanging our cultures,” Piddon
said.
Other international players for UCF include freshman Zoe Allaux and sophomore Camille Banzet, both from France.
They used to practice at the same facility, the Centre de Performance FFGolf, and had developed a friendship even before they were recruited to UCF.
Banzet said she was very
happy when she learned Allaux would be crossing the ocean to play with her again. It made the transition to America smoother.
“She helped me with paperwork and all things I could do here,” Allaux said. “It was good to know I already had a friend when I arrived.”
In France, technique is the focus when learning golf. American golf is about strategy.
“It’s really important for us to learn about American golf,” Banzet said. “Combining a little bit of French golf and American golf is making us better.”
And the diverse backgrounds from the rosters is helping the Knights make history in 2021.
The team wrapped up its fall schedule Oct. 31, placing
sixth out of 18 teams at the Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, N.C.
In September, UCF was ranked No. 6 in the nation
in the initial Golfweek Top 25, the highest in program history.
“It’s a piece of history,” Marron said. “We have a special group this year, and we will always say, ‘Hey, we had the highest ranking ever.’ ”
UCF will begin its spring schedule at home as the Knights will host the annual UCF Challenge from Feb. 6-8.
Leaving the American Athletic Conference for the Big 12 should help women’s golf improve even more as more visibility should help attract more recruits. That move could happen as early as 2023 for UCF.
“The word will get around,” Marron said. “We are on the national stage,
and we are here to stay.”