Southern Wayne junior Regan Stribble watches a shot from the fairway during a regular-season match. The junior made her first-ever trip to the NC High School Athletic Association 3A golf championships. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
DUDLEY — Disappointment can throw any athlete off their game and certainly affect their psyche.
Regan Stribble knows that all too well.
One year ago, the Southern Wayne golfer stood and watched in anticipation as scores were posted during the NC High School Athletic Association east 3A regional. The anticipation turned to worry and then to sadness after the qualifiers – teams and individuals – had been announced for the state finals.
Stribble missed the cut by one stroke.
“I was quite devastated,” she said. “I was determined to come back my junior year. There were going to be no ifs, ands or buts that I was going to make it. Once I knew I was determined to go there [this year], I had to work harder.”
She did.
Reading greens, putting and sand bunker shots had been her nemesis during her sophomore campaign. Each time she stepped onto the Southern Wayne Country Club links in the offseason, she strived to improve those aspects.
Head coach Trae McKee invented a “game” for her that involved the sand traps. He laid out a $1 bill and had Stribble imagine that it was the ball.
“I would hit the dollar bill out of the bunker and remember how excited I got [and] then I started getting the balls out of the bunker,” Stribble laughed.
When regular-season play began, Stribble averaged 50.5 strokes during the first three nine-hole Quad County 3A matches. She shot a season-low 44 at Willow Springs CC and a 47 on the challenging Lane Tree layout.
Stribble achieved one goal — another regional trip.
After a solid effort in the season-ending QCC Championships at Wendell Country Club, she anxiously – and eagerly – awaited her next task.
The regional course, Chicora Country Club in Dunn, undoubtedly tested her mettle.
“The regional course was definitely challenging,” Stribble said of the one-day, 18-hole event. “The greens were really fast. I knew that I had to take it one hole at a time and if I kept on going, I would do fine. I did not feel confident in it at all.”
Memories of the previous year flashed in her mind.
Had she done enough?
“I was the 16th [individual] person,” Stribble said. “It was amazing … overjoyed that I made it. I set a goal and I stuck to it. I had my family behind me supporting me. Both my parents and my grandpa were there.”
The day before the state finals, Stribble and McKee played a practice round at the picturesque Longleaf Golf & Family Club in Southern Pines.
A chilly wind whipped throughout the par-72 course.
Stribble also said Pinehurst’s history proved daunting.
“Practice day was very cold, but I knew if I stuck it out, I would do ok,” she said. “It was very nerve wracking … so many people there and it was huge. The first day [of state finals], it was all right because I had never done this before.
“Walking 18 holes back-to-back [days] was something. I was very tired, but I took one hole at a time and tried to do the best thing you can do for each hole. The greens were definitely tough … difficult.”
Stribble fired a two-day total of 192 and shared 57th place overall among the 94 competing golfers.
It was also the final match of her high school career.
She plans to graduate next May and pursue a nursing career at Wayne Community College. That gives her the opportunity to concentrate on her spring classes, work on college applications after WCC and spend more quality time with her family.
“The biggest challenge of the season was balancing school work, family and golf,” she said. “I participated in the three-year accelerated program. I talked with my family and decided I wanted to ahead with my career.
“It has been a great experience [at SW]. I’ve had an amazing coach who has supported me. I’ve had some amazing girls to play around. I’ve had some crazy experiences, many fun trips. I will remember it for sure.”
Especially the $1 bill.
You may reach sports writer Rudy Coggins at prepswriter2@gmail.com or call/text 919-709-9257.
