Thessing brings home state title in first season of New Covenant Academy girls golf program
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (BVM) — All state championships are special. But the one that New Covenant Academy freshman Savannah Thessing won this fall had a little extra meaning behind it.
Thessing is a member of the first-ever girls golf team at New Covenant Academy. She grew up living on Fremont Hills Country Club, and was destined for success on the links from a young age.
“I grew up on a golf course so I saw it every day,” Thessing said. “I think it’s a bit of a stress reliever for me and it’s an individual sport that I can practice whenever I want to practice. I think that’s why I grew to love it so much.”
Coached by her father who is an avid golfer himself, Thessing won several tournaments through her youth career. But coming into high school at New Covenant Academy, the team aspect of the sport played a new role.
“I wasn’t nervous, but I had never played team golf,” Thessing said. “So that was new to me.”
But the 15-year-old golfer quickly caught on. Earlier this year, New Covenant Academy announced that they would field the school’s first girls golf team this fall, coached by Mickey Moore.
Moore’s daughter, Maggie — a state champion swimmer — also joined the team along with four other girls who were new to the game. While Thessing brought experience, the joyful memories and close-knit bond the girls were able to form is what really stood out in the program’s first year.
“I absolutely loved all of my teammates,” Thessing said. “And Coach Moore was an amazing coach and I loved him. Our team had the best bond and it was so fun.”
With the challenges brought about due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Thessing and her teammates made sure to take everything one day at a time as they looked towards competing in the state tournament. The Warriors’ season was played as scheduled, allowing Thessing to settle into the new environment of high school golf, while also making many new friendships.
By the time her fall season was heading towards a close, Thessing had earned a chance to play in the MSHSAA Class 1 state golf tournament held at Paradise Pointe Golf Course in Smithville, Mo.
Going into the tournament, Thessing was excited, and actually a top seed, but didn’t think she would be a true contender to win.
“I definitely didn’t think I had a chance of winning,” Thessing said. “But my teammate Maggie told me I was seeded first going into state. That kind of freaked me out because I had no clue and I actually didn’t like that and it added some pressure. I went into state with zero expectations but I had played a practice round there a couple weeks before and I loved the course.”
Playing in cold and windy conditions in the first round of the tournament, Thessing admits she just wanted to get through the round however she could, and lacked a bit of focus and intensity in her game.
“It was just brutal conditions and I was freezing cold,” Thessing said. “I wasn’t focused whatsoever and I think I walked in a little too relaxed.”
Thessing would go on to shoot a 91 in round one, and sat six strokes off the lead going into day two. But that night, the freshman had a dinner with her coach and parents which helped change her outlook going into the final round.
“On day two, mentally, I changed everything,” Thessing explained. “The way I thought about it, what I ate for breakfast, everything was different. I was in such a better place and just determined to play the best that I could.”
With her new outlook, Thessing excelled in the final round of the tournament. Playing the course rather than the opponent, the New Covenant Academy golfer shot 12 strokes better in round two, finishing with an 81.
However, throughout the round, Thessing wasn’t sure where she stood on the leaderboard, or how close she might be to the lead.
“I didn’t know how I was doing whatsoever,” Thessing said. “The only clue I had is that I knew the girls behind us were playing slow. My mom also kept on smiling and I didn’t know why, so I thought that was a little weird. My coach just kept telling me to focus and keep playing my game. Everything seemed normal until the last few holes when the guys keeping score kept on following me and that just seemed a little weird.
“I walked off the 18th tee box and I had a couple people say, ‘Congrats.’ I don’t like to add up my score so I had no clue how I did, but I knew I played much better.”
After finishing up, Thessing learned that she held the lead. If one of the girls in the final group behind her birdied the 18th hole, she would be forced to go to a playoff. But after a bogey by her competitor, Thessing finally felt the joy of victory.
“When they told me I won and got the trophy, it still hadn’t sunk in and didn’t until weeks later,” Thessing said. “I don’t think I knew what state meant and I’m just starting to understand.”
While proud of her state victory as just a freshman, Thessing is even happier with how she was able to do it. The lesson it taught her, and can teach any golfer or athlete, was special.
“I learned a good lesson to never give up on myself,” Thessing explained. “On day one, I just wanted to give in and throw in the towel but knew I had to keep fighting. I learned my golf game can vary from one day to the next and just because I’m not golfing good one day doesn’t mean I’m a horrible golfer.
“I think my mental game has grown in golf and in general to the point where I can turn myself around through the holes rather than just saying I’m having a bad 18.”
Thessing will continue to improve her game over the offseason, and will look to continue her success on the course next fall as a sophomore. The 15-year-old’s main goals are to become a better putter, while also starting to shoot consistently in the 70s.
In a few years, Thessing would also like to play college golf somewhere in the south. While she knows it will take a lot of work, playing collegiately is a big dream of Thessing’s that she knows she is capable of accomplishing.
But in the immediate future, the golfer will now have the chance to become a back-to-back or multi-time state champion, and she relishes having that opportunity.
“I think it would be so cool if I win more than one state championship,” Thessing concluded. “I’m not saying I will and I’m happy with one, but more would be super cool. Obviously I’m not at the place I want to be at and still want to become a better golfer. But I’m so excited to play with these girls next year and I think our future as a team is really great.”
