A golfer walks up to the first tee with her driver. She places the ball on a tee and steps back to take a couple of practice swings. After a couple of attempts, she steps up to the ball and swings with precision to hit it. She grabs the tee from the ground and walks off toward her shot.

Junior Elina Sinz shot both a personal and school record (72-66), placing first place in the region III-6A regional golf tournament. She will be heading to the state tournament for the third year in a row on May 13 and 14 in Georgetown, Texas.

“The number one thing I am looking forward to about state is getting to play a course that fits my game very well and being able to have a chance to win after being somewhat successful the last two years,” said Sinz.

Sinz is excited for state as she is more confident in her abilities; that she has acquired over the last two years. Specifically, she believes that she is mentally strong. Anyone who has played the game of golf can attest that to be good at golf, one must conquer the mental game first. She thinks that this skill will definitely help under the intense pressure of the state tournament.

“Obviously my goal for state this year is to win, but I just want to come off the course and be able to say I gave it my best,” said Sinz.

Sinz started her golf career at age 9, and will continue it through high school and after at Auburn University. She thanks the game for giving her the opportunity to travel to some amazing locations and make many connections with other golfers all over the country. She is not only looking forward to state in a few weeks, but also looking forward to her future as a collegiate golfer. She is excited to have the opportunity to travel the country with her future team.

“Playing golf has taught me a lot of lessons that don’t just apply to golf, but to life in general; from public speaking, to how to manage delicate situations that require patience and grace,” said Sinz.