Tamen, Gonzalez prepared for state golf tourney

This is not the end of the line for Jessica Tamen or Papito Gonzalez.

Tamen, an Edinburg High junior, and Gonzalez, a McAllen Memorial sophomore, will tee off in the University Interscholastic League Class 5A Golf Tournament today and Friday at the Jimmy Clay Golf Course in Austin.

The two are the lone Rio Grande Valley representatives in the tournament.

Tamen won the regional tournament last month to qualify for state and will be paired with three other individual medalists. She’ll start her round on the first hole at 9:50 a.m.

"If Jessica plays how she’s been playing and gets a couple of good bounces and the bad bounces aren’t so bad, I think she can really make a push," Edinburg High coach Orlando Garza said. "Jessica’s been working very hard … She’s ready."

This is the second straight trip to state for the Bobcats’ junior star, as she also went last year as an individual qualifier while a sophomore. With that, and with plenty of other trips to Jimmy Clay as part of the Texas Junior Golf Tour, nothing she sees today or Friday will be much of a surprise.

"It’s not Los Lagos," Garza said. "But it is a course that’s comfortable for her."

Last year, Tamen finished in the middle of the pack at state, winding up in the early 30s. She’s improved her drives and her short game. She’s touched up on everything else.

Everything is set for her to surprise some people up in Austin.

"She’s ready for it, she knows the competition, she knows the course," Garza said. "It’s just a matter of putting things together."

Meanwhile, Gonzalez, who was second individual qualifier out of the region after beating Harlingen South’s Roman Robledo in a three-hole playoff, will begin from the 10th hole at 9:45 a.m. today.

"(I’m) a little anxious," Gonzalez said. "We’ll just see how it goes, and I’ll just try to do my best."

It’s Gonzalez’s first trip to state, as the sophomore will get an early look at where he stacks up with the rest of Texas.

"We’re taking it as a learning tool," McAllen Memorial coach Celso Gonzales said. "We’re learning from our mistakes and we’ll take it from there."

The key mistake Gonzalez made back at the regional tournament was not hitting enough fairways, which helped let Robledo catch him and force the playoff.

"I really need to hit the fairway," Gonzalez said. "If I’m in the fairway, I should be all right."

That’s certainly been his focus since the regional tournament ended.

"Ever since regionals, he’s got some real good practicing in," Gonzales said. "He’s trying to work on his drive, I think if that’s clicking he’s going to pleased with his game this week."

Gonzalez plays in the American Junior Golf Association and is fairly familiar with Jimmy Clay, so nothing should be too much of a surprise.

For him, it’s all about executing on what he prepared to do.

"I’m just trying to play my game," Gonzalez said. "We’ll see how it goes, I want to stick to the game plan." 

Todd Orodenker covers sports for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via e-mail at torodenker@brownsvilleherald.com.