The women’s golf team will head to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina to compete in the fifth annual Darius Rucker Intercollegiate Golf Tournament this weekend. This will be the teams fifth appearance in the tournament that it happened to win in 2012 and 2013.

After a third place finish in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Championship the Crimson Tide is hoping to continue build on its momentum.

“For the most part we had a really good showing at the Sugar Bowl, but there are some areas we need to improve on so we tried to address some of those things,” coach Mic Potter said.

Potter said going into this weekends tournament he hopes the women do not pay attention to how high the team is ranked but instead they focus on getting better each tournament. The team is currently ranked No.4 in the country, according to Golfstat.

Sophomore Lakareber Abe said the team has been taking advantage favorable weather which has resulted in a good week of practice. Golf is a sport that requires a strong mental approach and Abe is always focusing on improving that aspect of her game.

“To me my driving and putting game is important but really the most important part of the game for me is keeping myself in it mentally because I can get high and low really easily,” she said. “Staying focused and in the moment is really important to me.”

Abe and Cheyenne Knight both said the team loves to relax by watching movies. They will have to settle for a Darius Rucker concert this weekend which concludes the tournament. 

Knight, a freshman, will be making her first appearance in the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate. She said she has learned a lot from every tournament, and has really been watching how seniors Emma Talley and Janie Jackson lead by example. 

When Knight steps up to take a putt this weekend she will be going through her usual ritual.

“Before I step up to take a putt I visualize where I want the ball to go and then I tell myself I can do this, you know just some self talk,” Knight said.