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at Oxbow
Minot grad victorious at Oxbow
Tschetter claims second straight tourney win
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Minot native Becca Tschetter proudly displays the trophy she won at the State Stroke Play Tournament, which took place at the Oxbow Country Club in Oxbow on July 25. It is the second consecutive year she has won this event.
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By ROBERT BREWER
Sports Editor rbrewer@minotdailynews.com or the second year in a row, a competitive golfer from Minot is making her presence felt locally. Becca Tschetter is a 2020 graduate of Minot High School who now competes collegiately at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. On July 25, Tschetter won the North Dakota Women’s Golf Association’s State Stroke Play Tournament, which took place at the Oxbow Country Club in Oxbow. Representing Minot’s Vardon Golf Club, it was the second time in as many years that Tschetter has won the tournament.
When Tschetter won the two-day event a year ago, she finished 2-over par. This year, she paced the field at 2-under par and shot 68 in the second round, the best single-round individual mark of any competitor. Overall, she was five strokes better than the second-place finisher. Tschetter was down by three strokes after the first day of the tournament, so she reveals her mental focus on day two was a crucial factor in getting the win.
“I knew I had to come back strong if I wanted to win this tournament, so I slowly chipped away at the lead and came out on top,” Tschetter says. “It was a great learning experience for me to come from behind to take the lead and win. You have to learn to adjust your game in different situations.”
As the Division 1 golfing talent explains, it was her first time playing on the Oxbow course as last year’s event took place in Bismarck. Tschetter says the course conditions worked in her favor. Additionally, it was the attention to detail in her wedge play and putting game over the past year that yielded such a dramatic improvement in this summer’s tournament.
“At this level, a lot of people can drive the ball far, but if you can’t chip and putt, you can’t get very far against the competition,” Tschetter told The Minot Daily News. “My short game is way better this year, and it’s good to see all that extra work has paid off.”
Tschetter’s road to becoming one of the top young golfers in the region has been a long one. She said her first golf lesson took place in the eighth grade at the suggestion of a family friend. It was at that point she was introduced to Coach Milo Lines of Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club in Gold Canyon, Ariz.
The young golf standout said Lines immediately recognized her potential. However, he stressed to her the importance of commitment and hard work in order to unlock that potential on the course.
“He told me that success was not going to come instantly, but I could go pretty far if I worked for it. That’s why I just decided to put all my heart into the sport, and I’ve pretty much lived at the golf course ever since.”
After honing her skills for the next few years following that initial golf lesson, Tschetter said it was her breakout junior season at Minot High that made her believe she could compete at the collegiate level. That season, Tschetter finished third at state and also qualified for the USGA Girls Junior Tournament in Arizona. It was at that point college recruiters came calling.
The former Majette says performing well under pressure during big tournaments can be stressful, but if used properly, she believes the added stress can help gain an edge over the competition.
“When things get mentally tough out there, I just think about all the work that I have put into my game to this point. I am a really hard worker, so I try and remind myself about all the hours I’ve spent before a tournament to prepare myself. That gives me the confidence to get over
the anxiety of a big moment,” Tschetter adds.
Prior to her college years, the Minot native would make trips once or twice a year to Arizona to work on her game. Now, Tschetter lives in the Grand Canyon State on a full-time basis and takes advantage of the favorable climate to work on her golf skills all year round.
Having already established herself as one of the top players in the State Stroke Play Tournament, Tschetter said she plans to compete in next summer’s event as well while attempting to win for a third straight year. Currently, next year’s event is slated to take place at the Souris Valley Golf Course in Minot.
In the meantime, she will continue to work on her game in an effort to earn more playing time during her upcoming sophomore season at the collegiate level.
“It’s so much fun getting a chance to play in my home state, so I definitely plan on getting to do this tournament again next summer. I just want to play as well as possible to defend my title. Seeing familiar faces of the girls I used to compete with in high school was also a bonus,” Tschetter adds.
In addition to her individual success within the game of golf, Tschetter is actively involved her local communities promoting the sport she loves. Always quick to lend a helping hand to the next generation of golf enthusiasts, Tschetter enjoys not only playing the game, but also the social aspect of growing a passionate fan base.
“I tell everyone it is a very hard, but very rewarding game. Most importantly, I think people should have fun with the fact that you get to be outdoors and take in some beautiful scenery when you travel to different courses. There’s really nothing like it.”
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