Consistency Takes Matthews To The Top Of Girls Golf

ROGERS -- After Brooke Matthews walked off the green on the first hole at the Class 7A Golf Tournament at the Lost Springs Golf and Country Club in October of 2013, Rogers High girls coach Brenda Alexander knew good things were in store for the Lady Mounties golfer.

As a freshman, Matthews finished third at the state tournament that year but she missed going to the Overall Tournament after losing a three-player playoff on the first hole.

There would be no such disappointment this year.

Matthews improved her stroke average by an incredible six strokes in nine-hole regular season matches while winning medalist honors in every match last fall. Matthews then won the 7A-West Conference Tournament and then finished second at the Class 7A tourney, losing the title in a playoff.

That finish earned her a spot in the Overall Tournament and Matthews cruised to a four-stroke win against the state's best girls golfers to become the first Rogers High golfer to win an Overall title.

For her efforts, Matthews is the All-NWA Media Class 7A/6A Girls Golfer of the Year.

"I was really excited about how I finished my freshman year, and it was one of my goals to get to the Overall this year," Matthews said. "I played in a tournament almost every week this past summer. I tried to keep busy and it definitely helped my game."

Alexander said Matthews has a high ceiling and she reminds her of former Lady Mounties golfer Hayley Sanders. Sanders qualified for the Overall Tournament twice before becoming a four-time letterman for the Ole Miss women's golf team.

"The big thing her freshman year was Brooke's drive to get better," Alexander said. "Then when we had our tryouts in the spring and over this past summer, you could tell the consistency was there and that she had really been working. She is very driven and she loves the competition."

Matthews finished the regular season with a 36.4 stroke average in nine hole matches after averaging a 42.1 her freshman year. Matthews had only one round in the 40s and she said an improved short game was a big reason why.

"I just try to stay relaxed and have fun," Matthews said. "I have always been able to hit the ball relatively far, but my short game had not caught up. But now it is starting to come together."

Sanders is the only Rogers girls golfer to finish a season with a sub-par stroke average and Alexander said Matthews has the potential to match that mark in the years to come.

"I challenged her to get to that point," Alexander said.