Off The Tee: Valentine Derrey
3/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
March 9, 2010
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Senior Valentine Derrey is a three-time All-Mountain West Conference selection and a 2008 National Golf Coaches Association and Golfweek All-American.
Derrey has played in 36 tournaments during her career at TCU and holds the record for lowest tournament total (210) in TCU history. Derrey also shared the record for the lowest individual round at TCU with a 67, before it was broken by teammate Prisela Campbell's 66 last year.
Derrey won the Lady Puerto Rico Classic in her second-ever collegiate tournament as a freshman and has led the Frogs to the NCAA National Championships each of the last three years. The Paris, France, native has had one of the more successful careers in TCU women's golf history.
Carter Babb of the TCU media relations office recently sat down with Derrey to talk about her decorated career with the Frogs and some of the things she has learned over the years both on and off the course.
What has it been like playing for Coach (Angie) Larkin? "When I first got here as a freshman, she really let me do what I wanted to do on the course. She didn't change my swing so I was able to play like I was used to playing. If I need her on the course, she will come help. For the most part, though, I am on my own and I like that a lot."
How did you end up coming to TCU?
"It started with my sister, Stephanie, who was playing for NC State two years before I came to TCU. She was telling me a lot of good things about colleges. I got invited to play in a tournament in Arizona, and TCU was there. They watched me play and coach started e-mailing me. I was like 'okay, sure, I'll come here.'"
Have you played in any tournaments with your sister?
"We played in a tournament in Puerto Rico my first two years, and we played in the same group at a tournament in North Carolina my sophomore year."
What was it like playing in the same group with your sister?
"It was weird because I wanted her to play well as much as I wanted to play well. I didn't even care about beating the girls in my group. I just wanted her to do well."
What has been your most memorable moment in your career at TCU?
"I would say when I won in my second collegiate tournament in Puerto Rico in 2007."
Are you planning on playing professional golf after you graduate?
"I am going to Qualifying School for the LPGA Tour in September and then back to Europe in December for Q-School for the European Tour."
How have you grown during your career at TCU?
"At first, I was the freshman and the quiet one. When I got to know the players and the team, I became really outgoing and laughing all the time. When I was a sophomore, I had to learn how to act like a senior because I was the one always traveling to every tournament. I had to learn to be the example for everyone."
You had an injury to your finger that kept you out of a few tournaments the fall of your junior season. What was it like coming back from the injury?
"In the beginning, it was really frustrating because I wasn't shooting low anymore and it was in my head. After surgery, it was really hard coming back to the team and competing. I was also supposed to play in the World Championships for France. At the last minute, I couldn't play."
What is your major?
"I'm a communications major with a minor in Spanish."
What will you miss most about playing at TCU?
"I think I'll miss the team practices a lot, because when I'm a pro I'll be by myself. Being with other people during practice and workouts really helps, and our team workouts are really fun sometimes. I'll miss the coaches, too, because I've learned a lot from Coach Larkin and I just really like her as a coach."
Nicknames are a popular tradition with the TCU women's golf program. What is your team nickname?
"Tiny Tot."
What has it been like going to the NCAA National Championships all three years you've been here?
"I don't know what it's like not to go. For me, it's like a habit I guess. We had a great season my freshman year, winning conference and making it to nationals, so when it was my sophomore year everyone expected us to make it there again. We need to practice getting mentally stronger so we can play well at nationals."
Players Mentioned
