Izzi Stricker is ready to finish on a high note at Waunakee
WAUNAKEE, Wis. (BVM) — Last week, Izzi Stricker watched from start to finish as her dad, Steve Stricker, captained Team USA to a record-breaking win over Europe in the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
“It was unbelievable, it felt like a dream now looking back,” Izzi said. “Honestly I’m pretty sad that it’s over but seeing my dad lead that team is something that I really look up to. All those players played such good golf; the environment was amazing. The Wisconsin fans came out, supporting everyone. It was unbelievable, it was great.”
While she enjoyed the festivities and made sure to take advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime event she got to witness, the sophomore from Waunakee High School also made sure to pay attention to how her dad led Team USA throughout the Cup.
“Learning what he did last week I absorbed everything… it truly benefited me,” Izzi said.
And she will get a chance to put it to use right away as the Warriors girls golf team looks to make another run at the state championship.
Last Tuesday as the Ryder Cup practice rounds were beginning, Izzi was winning the Badger East Conference Tournament with a score of 80 at Evansville Golf Course. Her efforts helped the Warriors win conference and cap off an undefeated season in the Badger East. It was an important moment for Waunakee as last season the team wasn’t able to have an official conference season due to COVID.
“I didn’t really know what to expect. COVID played a big factor in our season as well,” Izzi said. “We didn’t know we were going to play our postseason until a week before so it was very unexpected.”
Even with the uncertainty, the Warriors made it to the state meet last year and were co-runners up with Arrowhead High School.
Now Izzi and Waunakee are ready to make another run at the championship, and the youngest Stricker is putting the lessons learned from her dad into practice.
“Right now I’m kind of using my dad’s motto that he used for his team, ‘This one, this one shot, this one tournament, this one putt,’” Izzi said. “I’m trying to stay as present as I can. Seeing how far the team can get is really my mindset. Just taking one shot at a time and not taking anything for granted.”
She won’t be doing it alone. Her teammate and third-place finisher at the conference meet, Jordan Shipshock, was also on the Waunakee team from last year and the three new members of the varsity team have played great throughout the season.
Izzi will also have her family cheering her on like she always does.
“Our family is very supportive of one another,” Izzi said. “We cheer each other on and just all being there I think is a comfort thing, too.”
Golf truly is a family affair for the Strickers. Steve played on the PGA Tour and is currently competing on the Champions Tour while Nicki, her mom, caddies for him. Bobbi, her older sister, just finished her collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin. It was this family love of golf that helped first bring Izzi to golf, and although she played different sports growing up, she always ended up back on the golf course.
“Golf was always my default sport I would say,” Izzi said. “I enjoy it way more and knowing that my whole family plays I think I gravitated towards it too because it’s a family bonding experience as well.”
Over the summer, the whole family participated in the WSGA Women’s State Amateur Championship at the Legend at Merrill Hills in Waukesha with Nicki caddying for Bobbi, who won the event, and Steve caddying for Izzi, who placed T-40.
“I know having my dad on the bag is very comfortable and to be honest, he saves me a lot of shots on the green,” Izzi said.
However, it’s not just her father who she looks to for advice or inspiration. Each of her family members has contributed to Izzi’s experience in some way.
“They both have benefits,” Izzi said. “I’d say my dad with the greens, like him reading the greens for me is the best but my mom is super positive out there. She will lift you up when you’re down, she says the right thing, gives the best advice I’d say.”
As for her older sister, watching Bobbi’s journey from not playing competitive golf in high school, to walking on at Wisconsin to golfing in the No. 1 spot for the Badgers showed what hard work and dedication can do.
Izzi has learned a lot from her family and takes pride in being a Stricker, but she also is ready to make sure people know her first name as well as they know her last name.
“I love to have the last name that I do and it’s a great honor to represent that last name and try to fill in my dad’s shoes,” Izzi said. “But I also want to create my own path and my own first name. Just kind of set my own pace and work hard on my own.”
It’s another reason why she loves the game of golf.
“Golf is a very peaceful thing,” Izzi said. “I consider myself an independent person and I like to be by myself sometimes. I think when I want to be by myself I go out, I take a cart and I go work on the game.”
Her dedication to that work has always been there but it really intensified last year when she began to see what a set amount of practice time can do to your golf game.
“I try to think about how hard work really pays off and I didn’t realize that until last year,” Izzi said. “I didn’t realize how much practicing for a set two hours of the day can really help your short game or putting.”
That along with the lessons she has learned from her family have prepared her for what will be her last postseason run with the Warriors.
Next semester Izzi will be transferring to IMG Academy and although she has loved every minute with her team, leaving as a state champion would be the perfect way to end her time as a Warrior.
“Finishing on a high note would make it even better,” Izzi said.
