Senior Bess Pridgen advanced to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3A State Championship to close out the women’s golf season.
The 3A Championship was held at the Red Fox Course in Foxfire Village, beginning on October 28.
“I managed to get all the way to states this year, which only Gina Kim has been able to do for a long time, so I was really proud of myself for that,” Pridgen said.
Because the full team was rarely present at matches, winning, or even placing, was not possible. Pridgen said that, despite the team’s losing record, she is proud of how the Tigers performed this season.
“I had three smaller goals at the start of the season: I wanted to feel good about how I played overall in my final season, I wanted to find other girls to join the team, and I wanted to make states,” she said. “I felt really great about the way I played: I found at least two new players, and I did end up making states.”
Coach Christopher Eaves said he was impressed with the team’s performance this season.
“Everyone worked very hard this season,” he said. “Bess Pridgen also had an excellent year, advancing to the state competition.”
Pridgen said golf has allowed her to build relationships with not only her own teammates, but also her opponents.
“Girls who played on other teams are fantastic, and, because you have to spend so much time together on the course, you really get to know each other,” she said. “I’m proud of how I’ve been able to cheer for, encourage and lift up my ‘opponents’ when they had bad shots. I think that’s really unique to golf.”
