John Nixon Photography
Fourteen-year-old Izzy Adams was shuffling through a sea of people at Muirfield Village Golf Club when something incredible happened. She’d attended the event many times, even as a kid, but this year was different. This year, Adams finally laid eyes on Tiger Woods.
The legendary golfer was competing in the Memorial Tournament and Adams was one of the many people following his game. With each swing Woods took, she found herself feeling nervous and excited, rooting him from just off the green.
“I couldn’t believe he was standing right there,” Adams says. “He’s accomplished so much.”
Even for golf newcomers, witnessing Woods play is remarkable. But for Adams, watching the professional struck a personal chord, as the Jerome High School junior is a varsity golfer herself.
A Mental Game
Adams started playing golf at the young age of six. Her father, Brandan, loves the sport and Adams holds fond memories of learning the game with him at the now closed Riviera Country Club. Just like the memories, the sport stuck. Adams is currently considering playing golf in college – she definitely has the skill set.
Adams recalls the first time she drove a 250-yard shot and when she scored an eagle on a par-4 after sinking a 60-yard shot at her first varsity match. The young athlete knows this success comes from more than just staying physically fit – it’s about being humble and mentally focused.
“Golf teaches you how to work really hard and be persistent because you’re never 100 percent,” she says. “It’s not a sport you can be passive with. You can’t just sit back and expect scores to come in. … You can be at the peak of your physical performance and still shoot worse than you’ve had because of your mental game.”
Adams works with her coaches and team members to stay cool and collected. From taking counted breaths to carrying cards in her golf bag with inspirational messages, she is constantly working to find her inner Zen.
Thankfully, her teammates on the Dublin Jerome girls golf team are also close friends and role models. The group offers written words of encouragement before games and shares athletic advice. Adams is looking forward to a leadership role come senior year, and hopes to carry on the current leader’s positive demeanor.
“I’m excited to help out the underclassmen and try to be as much of a leader and support system,” Adams says. “I’ll definitely model my behavior off of the previous upperclassmen because they did such an incredible job.”
Still, maintaining physical strength is important. During her freshman year, Adams experienced a back injury which resulted in missed time on the course. Even after trying several forms of rehabilitation, the young golfer refused to give up. Then a friend mentioned CrossFit and Adams was curious – and desperate.
Adams is now a dedicated CrossFit athlete at Friendship Fitness on Sawmill Road. She says Olympic weightlifting is her favorite exercise, especially when she breaks a personal record. The hardcore sport quickly rehabilitated her back and is now a vital resource for her golf game.
“I guarantee it’s added yardage on to my driver,” she says.
Adams became interested in sports medicine following her back injury, but she’s keeping her future education options open. As for playing golf in college, the young athlete is considering Emory University in Georgia since the new program is rising in popularity thanks its new coach, a retired LPGA coach.
Adams says a life without golf is hard to imagine.
“You spend so much time doing something, I try to think about, ‘What would I do?’” she says, laughing.
Driving it Home
Adams never imagined playing at Muirfield Village Golf Club, the very course where she watched Woods play. In October, the Jerome girls golf team, along with the boys team and several other central Ohio school teams, teed up and drove it home at the famous course.
“It was really cool just because I got to walk where (professionals) have walked,” Adams says. “The course is as hard as it looks.”
The outing was really more for fun than competition. Adams and her teammates played together instead of individually, making the day more fun and practically stress free.
Witnessing Woods play wasn’t her only Memorial Tournament outing, as Adams has attended several times with her family. She says sitting on the final four holes is always exciting, and she always enjoys watching the practice rounds.
Adams hopes to attend the event this year, but even if she can’t, she still says the tournament is a fantastic cornerstone of Dublin.
“It’s such a coveted tournament,” she says. “It brings the community together – I’ll see my teammates there, I’ll see my friends there, I’ll also see people there who don’t even play golf but they love to attend. It brings everyone together.”
The 2020 Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide is June 1-7. Visit www.thememorialtournament.com for more information.
Fore Questions for Izzy Adams
1. What is your favorite golf club?
“Probably my driver or my 8-iron. Driver, because it’s really fun to see some big numbers; an 8-iron because it’s my most consistent club.”
2. Best tip for young or new golfers?
“Stick with it because it doesn’t get easy – ever. And I think once it gets difficult, all you want to do is stop and you just have to keep going because you will succeed.”
3. What is your must-have item in your golf bag that isn’t a club?
“Snacks. I love fruit snacks; I always have fruit snacks or Gatorade.” Adams also carries engraved golf balls, a Christmas gift she receives every year from her family. The balls normally feature her name, but this past year they featured her dogs’ names: Pippa, Harper and Carmen.
4. Advice for playing in the heat?
“You have to stay hydrated all day; you have to be drinking water. I’ve had health issues because of playing in the heat. I pack four bottles for every round – two waters and two Gatorades. Just try not to think about it because the heat is out of your control.”
Lydia Freudenberg is an associate editor. Feedback welcome at lfreudenberg@cityscenemediagroup.com.
