Chelsea Wilson top women's golfer at Sierra College

To play a college sport takes a lot of talent and it takes even more to be the top performer on a team as a freshman. Former Lincoln High golfer Chelsea Wilson, 18, is now playing for Sierra College and has gone from being a four-year starter on varsity to a Top 10 player in the Big 8 Conference. "I'm finding that golf is a roller coaster of a game both mentally and physically but I can honestly say that this season has me feeling like I'm headed toward the golfer I want to be," Wilson said. "I'm having more good matches than bad and am realizing I really can compete at a higher level, which is absolutely exciting." Wilson has averaged a score of 90 in 18-hole play and her low score was an 80 at Turlock Country Club on Oct. 7. The lowest score Wilson shot prior was an 81 in her junior year of high school in 2019. She finished ninth out of 42 players in the Big 8. Wilson began playing golf at about age 11 with her father, Jeff, who enrolled her in the Youth On Course program and The First Tee - Greater Sacramento. "My family is awesome and has always been extremely supportive and encouraging of my golf journey," Wilson said. "I feel like they're part of what makes me successful to this day." She began playing in the U.S. Kids golf tournaments at age 13, competing in about 10 tournaments with her best finish being third at Mather Golf Course in Rancho Cordova at 14 years old. When watching professional golf on television, her favorite players are Viktor Hovland and Rory McIlroy. In her four years as a Fighting Zebra, Wilson lowered her nine-hole score by nearly eight strokes and always played better in the second half of the season showing consistent improvement. She emerged as the top golfer for Lincoln last spring in her senior season. "Chelsea definitely played a huge role in our team's success during her four years at Lincoln High," former co-Lincoln coach Eric Souto said. "She was a consistent player and always turned in a score that would help our team win. Between Chelsea's junior and senior seasons, we began seeing her quite a bit at the golf course working on her game and seeing that in the months leading up to her senior season showed us that she was focused on making her last season at Lincoln her best one." In her sophomore and junior seasons in 2018 and 2019, Wilson earned All-League honors finishing seventh in points in 2018 and fourth in points in 2019. Lincoln was also crowned league champions both seasons. Her senior season in 2020 was played this last spring due to COVID-19 and while there was no official team or individual standings, Wilson would have likely finished first or second in the Foothill Valley League and potentially earned Player of the Year honors. The Zebras went a combined 35-6 in her final three years with the team. "As a team, we worked really hard to do our best and accomplishing the feat of being league champions was pretty special," Wilson said. "Senior year was a bit anticlimactic, but luckily, most courses in the area were still open during COVID, so I could still get out on the course and practice. I'm thankful for that." Wilson contacted Sierra College coach Kim Silva her junior year of high school to tell her that she was interested in playing for the team. In her first season with the Wolverines, Wilson shot in the 80's four times and improved her score by 21 strokes between the first conference tournament on Sept. 9 to Oct. 7. The Wolverines finished fifth out of eight teams in the Big 8 Conference. "Working with a player like Chelsea makes my job so much easier," Silva said. "She has made the changes to her routine that I asked her to make and practiced that routine on her own and this is why she is having improvement and success. She has a calm demeanor and is level-headed." At the NorCal Regionals on Nov. 7 to Nov. 8, Wilson shot a 36-hole score of 173, leading the Wolverines to a third-place finish and qualifying for the California Community College Athletic Association Women's Golf State Championships. Wilson shot a 92 in her first round of state championships at Cypress Ridge Golf Course on Sunday and followed it up with an 80 on Monday. Sierra College was sixth out of eight teams in the tournament. Not only has Wilson enjoyed her success on the golf course but she is also liking the experience of starting at a junior college in general. "I feel like I'm more independent and I'm starting to figure out who I really am," Wilson said. "Sometimes, it feels stressful and chaotic but I feel like that's all part of the college experience." Wilson plans on continuing her golf career at Sierra College next season and then hopes to play at a four-year college. She is currently majoring in administration of justice-law enforcement. When not at school or playing golf, Wilson likes to hang out with friends and family, camp, ride all-terrain vehicles, see Broadway musicals and collect vinyl records. Wilson has advice for high school athletes wanting to pursue their sport at the next level: "Keep an open mind, a competitive edge, stay focused and practice, practice, practice. You have to put in the work to see the results."