Indiana University Athletics
Chevalier Saving Best For Last
4/20/2016 7:53:00 PM | Women's Golf
By: Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - As far as Camille Chevalier is concerned, it wasn't a matter of if she'd rise to the top of Indiana's lineup and compete for medalist spots.
It was a matter of when.
There's a quiet confidence about Chevalier, a senior with professional aspirations once her Hoosier career comes to a close at some point over the next couple of months. She shot 3-under to win last weekend's Lady Buckeye Invitational –her first collegiate tournament victory—and her 73.56 stroke average over 25 rounds leads all IU players.
At this point it's clear Chevalier is playing the best golf of her career, which she said is all according to plan.
"It's something that's just been building and building every day," Chevalier said. "I don't want it to stop, either. It has to keep going."
Fresh off her win last week, Chevalier is showing no signs of slowing down heading into the Big Ten Championship at Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis on April 22-24. Once there, she'll look to improve on her personal best mark of finishing 44th in the conference championship in 2014.
Though this postseason will be the climax of Chevalier's collegiate career, she's hoping it's only the beginning of what could be a long professional career. Once her Indiana career ends, she'll turn professional and work toward earning her tour card.
"It's all happening very quickly," she said. "It really doesn't stop or slow down. You go from college to Q-School and then hopefully you're playing."
Chevalier hopes that transition, whenever it comes, will be fluid without setbacks. Up to this point, her senior season has gone mostly the way she and head coach Clint Wallman envisioned it being months ago.
Chevalier inherited the No. 1 spot in the Hoosiers' lineup from Elizabeth Tong, one of the most accomplished players in program history. Wallman admitted Chevalier partially grew up playing in Tong's shadow to no fault of their own. The two close friends were able to push each other throughout their respective careers, but Tong had been out front throughout Chevalier's first three seasons.
But this year was different.
Chevalier began the year as the clear-cut No. 1 player and has played the part, although it would have been hard to figure as much during the end of last fall and into the winter. At that point, Chevalier was struggling with her swing and mostly hitting low hooks without any clue as to why.
Wallman helped Chevalier get back to the basics of her swing, asking her to hit high fades until she eventually straightened everything out on her own. Throughout the playing season, she's stayed consistent and steady at the top of the Hoosiers' lineup while positioning the team for a potential NCAA Tournament bid depending on how conference tournaments across the country go.
"Camille has been steady and really, really strong for us," Wallman said. "It's just been constant improvement. That and she's been a leader for us."
Chevalier is quick to shy away from calling herself the team's leader. She doesn't care for the extra attention.
But that doesn't stop junior Ana Sanjuan from stepping in to back Chevalier up.
"Let me tell you, Camille is the leader on this team," Sanjuan said. "When she plays well, we play well. And she's really been good."
The scores are there to back Chevalier up. Just last weekend, winning the Lady Buckeye Invitational meant firing a 4-under par final round. It was the type of scoring professional golfers would need to hang around tournaments.
That may be the next step for Chevalier if all goes the way she wants it. But she wouldn't mind having to wait until the middle of July to start pursuing her professional career.
For now, a deep run through the NCAA Tournament is all she'd need.
"I don't care what we have to shoot or how we have to play," Chevalier said. "We are that kind of team."
And Chevalier is proving to be that kind of player.
"She's saved her best for last," Wallman said. "I think we're all seeing it."
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - As far as Camille Chevalier is concerned, it wasn't a matter of if she'd rise to the top of Indiana's lineup and compete for medalist spots.
It was a matter of when.
There's a quiet confidence about Chevalier, a senior with professional aspirations once her Hoosier career comes to a close at some point over the next couple of months. She shot 3-under to win last weekend's Lady Buckeye Invitational –her first collegiate tournament victory—and her 73.56 stroke average over 25 rounds leads all IU players.
At this point it's clear Chevalier is playing the best golf of her career, which she said is all according to plan.
"It's something that's just been building and building every day," Chevalier said. "I don't want it to stop, either. It has to keep going."
Fresh off her win last week, Chevalier is showing no signs of slowing down heading into the Big Ten Championship at Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis on April 22-24. Once there, she'll look to improve on her personal best mark of finishing 44th in the conference championship in 2014.
Though this postseason will be the climax of Chevalier's collegiate career, she's hoping it's only the beginning of what could be a long professional career. Once her Indiana career ends, she'll turn professional and work toward earning her tour card.
"It's all happening very quickly," she said. "It really doesn't stop or slow down. You go from college to Q-School and then hopefully you're playing."
Chevalier hopes that transition, whenever it comes, will be fluid without setbacks. Up to this point, her senior season has gone mostly the way she and head coach Clint Wallman envisioned it being months ago.
Chevalier inherited the No. 1 spot in the Hoosiers' lineup from Elizabeth Tong, one of the most accomplished players in program history. Wallman admitted Chevalier partially grew up playing in Tong's shadow to no fault of their own. The two close friends were able to push each other throughout their respective careers, but Tong had been out front throughout Chevalier's first three seasons.
But this year was different.
Chevalier began the year as the clear-cut No. 1 player and has played the part, although it would have been hard to figure as much during the end of last fall and into the winter. At that point, Chevalier was struggling with her swing and mostly hitting low hooks without any clue as to why.
Wallman helped Chevalier get back to the basics of her swing, asking her to hit high fades until she eventually straightened everything out on her own. Throughout the playing season, she's stayed consistent and steady at the top of the Hoosiers' lineup while positioning the team for a potential NCAA Tournament bid depending on how conference tournaments across the country go.
"Camille has been steady and really, really strong for us," Wallman said. "It's just been constant improvement. That and she's been a leader for us."
Chevalier is quick to shy away from calling herself the team's leader. She doesn't care for the extra attention.
But that doesn't stop junior Ana Sanjuan from stepping in to back Chevalier up.
"Let me tell you, Camille is the leader on this team," Sanjuan said. "When she plays well, we play well. And she's really been good."
The scores are there to back Chevalier up. Just last weekend, winning the Lady Buckeye Invitational meant firing a 4-under par final round. It was the type of scoring professional golfers would need to hang around tournaments.
That may be the next step for Chevalier if all goes the way she wants it. But she wouldn't mind having to wait until the middle of July to start pursuing her professional career.
For now, a deep run through the NCAA Tournament is all she'd need.
"I don't care what we have to shoot or how we have to play," Chevalier said. "We are that kind of team."
And Chevalier is proving to be that kind of player.
"She's saved her best for last," Wallman said. "I think we're all seeing it."
Players Mentioned
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FB: Drew Evans - Spring Practice No. 11
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FB: Bray Lynch - Spring Practice No. 11
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FB: Spring Practice - Curt Cignetti Press Conference
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