Sports > February 21, 2008

By Allison Lange | Sports editor

Natalie Sheary may only be a freshman, but you probably wouldn’t know that from watching her play. Sheary won the Northrop Grumman Regional in Palos Verdes, Calif., shooting a 215, winning by one stroke.

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(Photo courtesy of Media Relations)

However, Sheary’s golf resume doesn’t end there. Before coming to Wake Forest, she was the women’s Eastern Amateur Champion in 2007 and placed fifth at the Rolex Tournament of Champions. With all of these accomplishments under her belt, this freshman has an impressive future ahead. The Old Gold & Black’s sports editor, Allison Lange, sat down with Sheary to talk about playing a round of golf with anyone and winning the Northrop Grumman Regional.

On winning the Northrop Grumman Regional:

I didn’t even know I had won at first. I was keeping track of the first place girl’s score.

It wasn’t until after our last hole when she came up to me and told me, “Great tournament.”

I looked to my coach and she looked at her phone and said, “I think you’ve won.”

On playing any course:

I like Harbor Town course, it’s in Hilton Head. Its a really tough course with a lot of trees.

They have a men’s PGA Tour there and being able to play it is really cool.

On her role model:

My role model is probably Liz Janangelo from Duke. She graduated about two years ago and she’s been going on tour.

She’s from my hometown and we have the same coach and she’s the one who started me playing golf.

On her superstitions:

I have to bring my bag everywhere. Usually if there’s a long walk to a tee box or a green, people leave them so they don’t have to carry them, but I just feel like I have to have it with me at all times.

On why she chose Wake:

Coach Dailey was a big reason. Liz as well, she went to Duke, but had so many great things to say about Wake too.

On her goals for the spring:

The whole team is playing really well, so I definitely think we can win another tournament like we did this past fall.

I just think one of us will get another individual title because we’re all playing well and improving, and the team is just getting along great.

On her greatest shot:

I got a hole in one in Florida in 2004 at the LBJ International course.

On playing a round with anyone:

I’d like to play with Michael Jordan.

Even though he’s not a professional golfer, he does play golf a lot.

It’d be really cool to talk to him, especially because he’s outside of golf.

I could really learn about being a top athlete from him and what its like.