The University of Mississippi Athletics
One-Two Punch Helps Put Lady Rebels Back On Map
3/25/2004 | Women's Golf
March 25, 2004
By Matt Segal
Athletics Media Relations Intern
Mental toughness usually comes to mind when thinking about the most underrated characteristics of a good sports team. It has also been said that a little confidence can go a long way.
The combination of improved focus and newfound self-belief has helped the Ole Miss women's golf team gain a new perspective on the season. The Lady Rebels suddenly believe in themselves. Many people would say there is now a little 'pep in their step.'
Much of the Lady Rebels' recent success has been a result of their one-two punch -- freshman Adrienne White and junior Nikki Hadd.
White, a true freshman from Red Deer, Alberta, has turned shifted into high gear in her first spring season as a collegiate golfer. Hadd, a junior from Crestview, Fla., has filled a much-needed leadership role as one of three juniors on a roster with no seniors.
"Knowing that I would be one of the more experienced players on this team, it was suddenly like, 'ok, it's my turn,'" said Hadd, who posted a season-best round of 70 at the Waterlefe Invitational in Tampa, Fla. "I think I have accepted that leadership responsibility. I have known all along that this young team would be counting on me. This is the most talented team I've ever played on, so being a good leader is not that difficult. A little bit of guidance goes a long way with this team. It's really to the point where I can focus on my own game because each individual on this team knows what's expected of them."
White has come full circle since her prep days in Canada. Her high school (Hunting Hills) did not have a school-sponsored team. With only four to five girls in the entire school who actually played golf, White helped form an unofficial team which entered some local tournaments.
"High school competitions in Canada are no where near the level they're at in the United States," said White, who leads the team with a 75.88 stroke average. "This is the first real team I've been a part of. I like this environment much better. When you're on the course, you look around and it's exciting because you're playing for other people and other people are playing for you. It's an individual sport, but definitely has that team concept."
On March 15-16, White and Hadd helped Ole Miss to its first tournament title since Oct. 14, 2001, with a first-place effort in the Waterlefe Invitational. The team also finished third at the Tulane Invite Feb. 9-10 and fourth in the LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic March 5-7.
"I think the tournament title in Florida was a result of our consistent improvement throughout the season," White said. "We had been so close so many times throughout the season. We had a great opportunity to get over the hump and I think we finally took advantage of it.
"The tournament title was absolutely huge," Hadd added. "It boosted our team's confidence quite a bit. The whole week in Florida was a great experience for us. We had fun, but accomplished quite a bit at the same time. I think we really grew up during that time. This is a very talented team and now we have some momentum heading into these final two tournaments. We feel good about where we're at, but still have a lot to prove to ourselves. I think these next two tournaments will give us the chance to do that."
From an individual standpoint, White has registered no worse than a sixth-place effort this spring. Her 73-77-76--226 in New Orleans was good for a third-place finish, while her scores in Tampa, Fla. -- 74-76-79--229 -- tied for fifth overall. In Baton Rouge, La., White placed sixth with a 78-75-72--225.
Hadd, meanwhile, has a pair of top-five finishes. At the Waterlefe Invite, she tied for fifth with a 70-80-79--229. At the LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic, the two-year letterwinner placed third overall with a 76-72-75--223.
Hadd's improvement on the course has helped Ole Miss to much of its recent success. Her first two campaigns were very up-and-down. At times, her play was nothing short of outstanding. A good example would be last spring when she fired a round of 67 to shatter the school record. Her scores were also inconsistent at times. Rounds in the low 70s were typically sandwiched in between high scores in the 80s.
Hadd is happy with her recent improvements, but not completely satisfied with the end result.
"I feel much more confident as a player," she pointed out. "I feel like I have grown into my own game. It's a mindset that you have to acquire. There are no longer any doubts in my head. I've worked a lot with my pro, coach (Meghan) Bolger and have improved my swing quite a bit.
"I just want to keep improving. I want to lower my stroke average as much as possible. From the team standpoint, we are looking for another win. We went to regionals last year and this year we hope to qualify for nationals. We're just taking one stroke, one hole, one round and one tournament at a time. If we can stay focused on the small goals, I think the big goals will work themselves out."
White entered the collegiate scene with a lot of ability, but has really tried to fine-tune her game this spring. She will be the first to admit that there is still a lot to learn.
"I have learned a lot at each tournament," she admitted. "I am still at the stage where I need to pick up something new every time I step on the course. My confidence has gone from very low to sky high. At the beginning of the season, I was telling myself, 'I can shoot this score.' Now, I'm telling myself, 'I will shoot this score.' Golf is a very mental game and I think my mental approach has improved over the course of the season."
The Lady Rebels face a very challenging field this weekend at the Liz Murphey Collegiate in Athens, Ga. Eleven top-30 teams -- No. 1 Duke, No. 5 Georgia, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 8 Auburn, No. 10 Oklahoma State, No. 15 Michigan State, No. 18 Wake Forest, No. 22 Tennessee, No. 23 Furman, No. 27 South Carolina and No. 28 Arkansas -- highlight the 18-team field. Ole Miss will also be competing against Alabama, Arkansas, East Carolina, Florida State, Kent State, Kentucky and Mississippi State.
"This upcoming tournament in Georgia will be awesome," White said. "I plan to go into it like I did my first collegiate tournament. I want to go in expecting nothing and, that way, if something good happens, I'll be really excited. The neat thing about golf is that you really control your own destiny. I can't control what the opponents shoot, but I can control how well I play. If I focus on my own game, everything will work out itself out."
The SEC Championships also loom on the horizon. This year's league showdown will take place in Baton Rouge, La., April 16-18.
"There are five individuals on this team who have been to the SEC Championships and we are all hungry," Hadd said. "Last year was a learning experience and now we know what it takes to compete in a big tournament against several quality opponents. This team has a lot more confidence now than we have had in the past two years. It's no longer OK for us to just show up and play. We are now playing to win."
