Regina’s Alex Schmidt is wrapping up a terrific third college season at Lewis-Clark State College with the women’s golf team.
The Warriors concluded their regular season play this week at the Cascade Conference Championships in Caldwell, Idaho. Schmidt finished in eighth place overall while her team placed second, their fourth runner-up showing of the year. Schmidt said she wants round one back of the event but overall, her junior year was solid on the course.
“I was pretty pleased with how my season went,” she told Golf Saskatchewan this week. “I was pretty steady through the spring semester; I was able to place top-10 in four of five tournaments and then I had a couple top-5 finishes as well. I kind of wish I played better in my Monday round, I shot 82. I really just needed to make birdies, it was pretty tough, and I just didn’t make anything.”
Schmidt actually had a trio of finishes inside the top-four. That included a tie for second, a third, and fourth place. Her scores have been improving from year to year with a win in her sites. She credits her outgoing coach for the growth in her game.
“My game has grown a tonne and that’s due to my coach (Kyla Lien). She has put so much effort into my game, it’s been awesome, and I can’t thank her enough. She’s actually leaving this year so we will have a new coach next year so we’re hoping for the best,” Schmidt said.
The Warriors roster will see plenty of turnover this off season too, six players including leader Lauren Hamm will move on from the school leaving Schmidt as one of the leaders heading into her senior year. She said despite the season just coming to a potential close (they are still waiting on a national spot as a team) there is plenty of optimism going into her final campaign.
“I’m definitely very excited for my senior season,” she said. “I think we will have a pretty good team although we do have six girls leaving us after this year which is going to be a change, but I can’t wait. I am excited to see where the season takes us. I want to follow in Lauren’s footsteps and hopefully head to nationals like she did so we are pretty excited for her and can’t wait to cheer her on.”
The team will know on May 12 if they are ranked high enough to get a national spot. Schmidt is waiting on that news as she plans to head back to Canada to quarantine and get back on the golf course north of the border.
She plans to enter a few tournaments around the province and expand on her career that includes city and high school championships. She said those experiences have led her to her time in Idaho getting an education and playing golf.
“I encourage everyone to get down and play somewhere. Definitely joining into the Golf Sask. programs helped me a tonne. You must play as much as you can and get out there and hopefully someone notices your name. It’s been an awesome experience,” she said.
You can hear more from Schmidt below in her interview with Golf Saskatchewan’s Clark Stork.