Photo by: Roger Horne
Women's Golf Q&A: Lauren Gomez
6/15/2022 9:29:00 AM | Women's Golf, Competing With Purpose Blog
Lauren Gomez is a rising sophomore golfer from Murrieta, California. Gomez had an exceptional first year in Malibu, earning not just WCC Freshman of the year but WCC Player of the Year as well. She recently competed in the 2022 U.S. Women's Open:
Q: Coming in as a freshman, did this season meet or defy your expectations?
A: Well, coming into this season, I didn't know what to expect. And that was with golf or with school or anything. I don't think I really had expectations, which actually helped me play better because I didn't put any added pressure on myself. So I guess you could say this year took me by surprise because it was a really good first year.
Q: Tell us about your experience playing in the U.S. Women's Open.
A: It was such a cool experience. I didn't make the cut, which was a bummer but it was still an awesome experience. I got to play with Lexi Thompson, who was always one of my favorite golfers growing up. Overall, I would say that I learned a lot. It was my first professional event so it was a really good experience for me.
Q: Looking back on your freshman season, how surprised were you to win not only WCC Freshman of the Year but WCC Player of the Year as well?
A: I was having a really good year, so it was definitely a goal of mine. But, the week before the WCC Championship, I had kind of a rough tournament, which set me back in terms of thinking I could win it. So, I knew I had to do something really good at the West Coast Conference Championship and everything kind of fell into place. I ended up winning that so that really helped me get those awards, which was really awesome.
Q: What was the excitement amongst the team when they won their first WCC Championship since 2019?
A: It was so awesome, one of the highlights of the year. We were definitely the underdogs. I don't think anyone really expected us to win because of the up and down season we had all year. We played a great tournament and it worked out in the end. Everyone was playing in their element and off of each other.
Q: Despite the blemish at the Chambers Bay Invitational before the conference championship, you had four top-10 and six top-20 finishes on the season — what was your key to staying consistent?
A: I was honestly just keeping everything really simple. I wasn't trying to do anything crazy. A lot of these golf courses we play are really tough, so you're steady and hit fairways and greens, it all falls into place. So I think that keeping it simple was a key factor for me this year and it's something I'll continue to do going forward as well.
Q: That being said, tell us about your golf game.
A: I don't hit it crazy far but I am pretty consistent. I like to think hit a lot of fairways. I think my game has really improved this year, I've worked a lot in my short game. And also Coach Laurie (Gibbs) helped me a lot with course management. So I think I'm getting a lot better at making club decisions.
Q: Are you an aggressive or conservative player?
A: I'd say more conservative but learning to be aggressive when I can be and then just playing smart when it's needed. I think in my junior golf days, I would think I could do anything. So I would be a little too aggressive when I shouldn't be. But like I mentioned, Coach Laurie has helped me a lot with playing smarter and then taking aggressive chances when I can.
Q: With the recent success of both men's and women's golf at Pepperdine, what's something the student body should know about the golf program?
A: That's a good question. I think a lot of people don't realize how time-consuming the sport is. Golf tournaments are all-day, non-stop which can get taxing throughout the season. Sometimes we play 36 holes in a day which can take up to 12 hours. We travel a lot, even to practice. I lived with other athletes not on the golf team who were shocked at the time commitment. If other students could take one thing away, I would want it to be that we work really hard and a lot goes into it.
Q: Will you play in any other tournaments this summer?
A: I only have a couple more tournaments this summer. After the U.S. Open, I kind of just want to take some time and just work on my game. I'm going back to North Carolina to play a big amateur event called the North and South which should be fun.
Q: Lastly, are there any areas you feel you need to improve on?
A: I think I need to improve a little bit on everything. At the U.S. Open, I got to see the pros and how they practice. I definitely learned a lot from them that I'm going to take into my practices going forward. Lexi Thompson was hitting the ball really far and it sets up the rest of her game, so if I could gain a few yards, that would be great. I'll probably work out a lot this summer and hopefully come back in the fall with some more distance.
Q: Coming in as a freshman, did this season meet or defy your expectations?
A: Well, coming into this season, I didn't know what to expect. And that was with golf or with school or anything. I don't think I really had expectations, which actually helped me play better because I didn't put any added pressure on myself. So I guess you could say this year took me by surprise because it was a really good first year.
Q: Tell us about your experience playing in the U.S. Women's Open.
A: It was such a cool experience. I didn't make the cut, which was a bummer but it was still an awesome experience. I got to play with Lexi Thompson, who was always one of my favorite golfers growing up. Overall, I would say that I learned a lot. It was my first professional event so it was a really good experience for me.
Q: Looking back on your freshman season, how surprised were you to win not only WCC Freshman of the Year but WCC Player of the Year as well?
A: I was having a really good year, so it was definitely a goal of mine. But, the week before the WCC Championship, I had kind of a rough tournament, which set me back in terms of thinking I could win it. So, I knew I had to do something really good at the West Coast Conference Championship and everything kind of fell into place. I ended up winning that so that really helped me get those awards, which was really awesome.
Q: What was the excitement amongst the team when they won their first WCC Championship since 2019?
A: It was so awesome, one of the highlights of the year. We were definitely the underdogs. I don't think anyone really expected us to win because of the up and down season we had all year. We played a great tournament and it worked out in the end. Everyone was playing in their element and off of each other.
Q: Despite the blemish at the Chambers Bay Invitational before the conference championship, you had four top-10 and six top-20 finishes on the season — what was your key to staying consistent?
A: I was honestly just keeping everything really simple. I wasn't trying to do anything crazy. A lot of these golf courses we play are really tough, so you're steady and hit fairways and greens, it all falls into place. So I think that keeping it simple was a key factor for me this year and it's something I'll continue to do going forward as well.
Q: That being said, tell us about your golf game.
A: I don't hit it crazy far but I am pretty consistent. I like to think hit a lot of fairways. I think my game has really improved this year, I've worked a lot in my short game. And also Coach Laurie (Gibbs) helped me a lot with course management. So I think I'm getting a lot better at making club decisions.
Q: Are you an aggressive or conservative player?
A: I'd say more conservative but learning to be aggressive when I can be and then just playing smart when it's needed. I think in my junior golf days, I would think I could do anything. So I would be a little too aggressive when I shouldn't be. But like I mentioned, Coach Laurie has helped me a lot with playing smarter and then taking aggressive chances when I can.
Q: With the recent success of both men's and women's golf at Pepperdine, what's something the student body should know about the golf program?
A: That's a good question. I think a lot of people don't realize how time-consuming the sport is. Golf tournaments are all-day, non-stop which can get taxing throughout the season. Sometimes we play 36 holes in a day which can take up to 12 hours. We travel a lot, even to practice. I lived with other athletes not on the golf team who were shocked at the time commitment. If other students could take one thing away, I would want it to be that we work really hard and a lot goes into it.
Q: Will you play in any other tournaments this summer?
A: I only have a couple more tournaments this summer. After the U.S. Open, I kind of just want to take some time and just work on my game. I'm going back to North Carolina to play a big amateur event called the North and South which should be fun.
Q: Lastly, are there any areas you feel you need to improve on?
A: I think I need to improve a little bit on everything. At the U.S. Open, I got to see the pros and how they practice. I definitely learned a lot from them that I'm going to take into my practices going forward. Lexi Thompson was hitting the ball really far and it sets up the rest of her game, so if I could gain a few yards, that would be great. I'll probably work out a lot this summer and hopefully come back in the fall with some more distance.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
