The Lost Season? Golfers Emma McMyler, Delaney Martin hope for a shot at championship repeat
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By Mike Joseph, Staff writer April 10, 2020 Updated: April 10, 2020 8:06 p.m.
The Lost Season? Golfers Emma McMyler, Delaney Martin...
1of3TMI Episcopal School's Delaney Martin walks to the 8th tee box at the start of a golf tournament at the Buckhorn Golf Club in Comfort, Texas, Tuesday, March 2, 2019. Martin, who earlier this year shot a 64 in a tournament, was selected to be part of Nick Faldo's up-and-coming golfers team.Photo: Jerry Lara / Staff photographer
2of3Brandeis junior Emma McMylerPhoto: Courtesy photo
3of3TMI Episcopal School's Delaney Martin watches her shot after teeing off during a golf tournament at the Buckhorn Golf Club in Comfort, Texas, Tuesday, March 2, 2019. Martin, who earlier this year shot a 64 in a tournament, was selected to be part of Nick Faldo's up-and-coming golfers team.Photo: Jerry Lara / Staff photographer
Emma McMyler and Delaney Martin would like nothing more than a chance to get back to state one more time.
But they understand the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic that caused the UIL and TAPPS to suspend high school spring sports in mid-March. The earliest restart date is May 4 but that's subject to change by both athletic governing bodies.
Martin and McMyler know that might not happen — that their final high school seasons might be lost.
"This is bigger than golf," said McMyler, a senior at Brandeis who has qualified for the Class 6A state tournament the past two years. "I hope everyone stays safe during this time."
Martin, a TMI Episcopal senior, acknowledged that she'd be disappointed if she couldn't defend her TAPPS Class 5A state championship. "But I understand," she said. "I feel for the people who have (the coronavirus)."
The UIL hasn't provided a new timeline for finishing spring sports seasons, but deputy director Jamey Harrison said plans are in place. TAPPS is proceeding in the same way.
"I would really miss not getting to play the last few tournaments for school and experience everything like I did last year," said Martin, who will attend the University of Houston on a golf scholarship. "It would be awesome (for an opportunity) to defend my title."
Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of stories chronicling what could be lost seasons for many high school seniors who were chasing state championships.
Coming Tuesday: Johnson's Victor Zuniga, who has the nation's third-fastest time in the 800-meter run this season. The Texas A&M-bound senior has steadily improved since his freshman season to become one of the state's top track runners, but he might never have a chance for a gold medal at state.
McMyler, the two-time District 28-6A defending champion, also would relish one more chance.
"It would mean a lot to finish out my senior year the way I envisioned it," said McMyler, who signed with Xavier. "I'm hoping we can at least play something by the end of the year. It would be disappointing if I'm not able to finish what I started, but if it doesn't happen, then I'm satisfied with how I played at Brandeis. I'm proud of the accomplishments so far."
Martin and McMyler were both playing regularly before all municipal and private courses in San Antonio and Bexar County were closed late last week. McMyler said she was treating the break as if it were the offseason in preparation for a restart.
"I'm getting ready for whenever the tournaments get back on the schedule and we're able to play," she said. "Now that I can't play at the course, I'll have to do things at home differently. I can't do pitch shots and bunker shots, because those really can't be reproduced at home. I'll try to utilize the resources I do have."
While McMyler and Martin hope the district, regional and state tournaments are contested in some form, both are taking a positive approach to a situation that remains in flux.
"I'm trying to look more long term and how this is going to benefit me down the road rather than how it's negatively impacting me right now," McMyler said.
"I really don't see it as a huge negative thing," Martin said. "I see it as something that I can learn and grow from."
McMyler's day is filled with online classes in the morning followed by conditioning and honing her skills.
"I've been focused on getting stronger and faster," she said. "I'm working out more and running. I have a hitting mat that I've been using to work on my technique more, and a putting mat (where) I can practice putting."
Before the courses closed, McMyler said her extra work was paying off.
"I was actually hitting it a little farther," she said.
Martin has a similar schedule after completing her distance learning.
"I'm working out at home," she said. "I try to run every day, do sit-ups, push-ups, squats. I try to stay in shape because I think that's really important."
Both seniors had been on a roll this season.
In 10 tournaments since September, McMyler has a 72.6 scoring average in 21 rounds. She has four wins, three runner-up finishes and has not been outside of the top five the entire season.
"I've been playing pretty well," McMyler said. "I've become a lot more consistent, and I've been working on a few of the smaller aspects that I hope are going to take my game to the next level."
Martin, too, had been on a hot streak. The three-time district champion has won four times since December and had a top-10 finish at the Kathy Whitworth Invitational in Fort Worth, an elite junior event held just before the shutdown.
"I've been making so many big strides with my game," said Martin, who qualified last summer for the U.S. Women's Amateur. "I'm becoming more confident with myself and loving the game even more than I did before, which is crazy because I didn't think I could do that."
Both are ready for play to resume.
But for now, it's a waiting game.
mjoseph@express-news.net
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