Charlotte Mayorkas saw it creeping up on the calendar.
The golf course where the senior Bruin golfer works, the SCGA Country Club in Murrieta, was playing host to the California State Open, a professional event with a $125,000 purse.
As Mayorkas glanced at the tournament entry form, she noticed that the 2004 Pac-10 champion was exempt from qualifying.
That a woman hadn’t played in the tournament field for over 30 years was of no concern to Mayorkas. Neither was the prospect of possibly being the only female in an all-male field.
The only thing that mattered to Mayorkas was that she was one of two reigning Pac-10 champions, which fit the qualifications on the form.
“It didn’t say if it was men’s or women’s,” Mayorkas said.
So she pursued an entry into the tournament, all the work of a simple phone call to the tournament director, and was quickly granted entry into the field.
And beginning this morning, Mayorkas will tee off from the tips of her home course with the guys, seeing where her golf game ranks against her male counterparts, all the while notching another golfing experience, albeit a new one, under her belt.
Though she acknowledges she may not be able to keep up with the men off the tee, she has played from the back tees of the SCGA course many times before, which, combined with her intimate knowledge of the course, will definitely level the playing field.
When she makes the loop around the SCGA course, she’ll recognize some familiar faces, like former Bruin golfers Travis Johnson and John Merrick, as well as UCLA men’s coach O.D. Vincent.
Though Mayorkas may shrug off the pressure of playing against the men, Vincent believes it takes a lot of guts to do what she’s doing.
“It’s pretty courageous of her to out there and compete in the event,” Vincent said. “I expect her to beat me and a lot of other people.
But Mayorkas doesn’t want to be called a pioneer. For Mayorkas, she’s just out there to compete and have fun.
“I’m not trying to do anything like Michelle Wie here,” Mayorkas said. “I know in reality I don’t hit it 300 yards to compete with the men. The men play a totally different game. I’ll attest to it. But it’s a good experience for me to see how my game can hold up.”
Her expectations heading into the tournament are modest. While she will definitely be playing to win, even though her amateur status doesn’t allow her to see any of the prize money, Mayorkas is taking it one step at a time.
“My goal is to make the cut,” said Mayorkas, who made the cut at her first LPGA tour event earlier this month. “I know I can score out here. It’ll be a test of my full game.”
While she knows it will be a unique experience, the steady and focused Mayorkas doesn’t expect to be overwhelmed. Even though she will be the only woman competing, she’s not intimidated, because although the field may look different, the object of the game is the same: Get the ball in the hole.
The reception to her playing in the tournament has drawn an expected mixed reaction. While some have no problem with her participating in the tournament, others think the bold step is harmful to the sport in general.
“The beauty of Charlotte is that you have to have a bit of courage to do this,” UCLA women’s golf coach Carrie Forsyth said. “I’m sure she’s going to get some criticism, and that’s unfortunate. People are going to think what they think. But for her, it’s just another experience on her road to the LPGA tour.”
That’s what it’s all about for Mayorkas, getting one step closer to her ultimate goal. That, and getting the ball in the hole.