Annie
by Mike Morrow

Photo Credit: Oklahoma State University

Annie Thurman never planned to be a star.

Still doesn't, actually, though it may happen anyway.

Growing up in West Valley, Utah, Thurman tagged along on the golf course with her dad Jeff and brother Adam, was big sister to Megan and liked to hang around at home with her mom Kay.

Her goals were simple – finish school, get married, have a family and contribute to her church. Perhaps, even play sports.

Stardom was for someone else, even after Thurman had earned it on the basketball court and golf course throughout high school and, quite suddenly, at Oklahoma State University.

But it's almost inevitable, said Amy Weeks, women's golf coach at Oklahoma State, winner of the Big 12 championship tournament.

“We will have four of our first five players back, but we lose two key seniors and we will be entering a new era – and Annie Thurman is going to lead that new generation,” said Weeks, a collegiate standout at OSU in the mid-1990s prior to replacing long-time coach Ann Pitts two years ago.  “This is a wonderful situation, not only for our golf program but also for Annie.”

Amateur title
This past season, Thurman was one of OSU's most consistent scorers, finishing 13th in the conference tournament and 75th in the NCAA championships. However, she burst forth with the championship of the United States Women's Amateur Public Links tournament in Sunriver, Ore.

It was a golden moment, no doubt, one of many she will experience in her next three years in Stillwater, Okla.

In its 26th year, the USWAPL tournament is among 10 amateur national events conducted by the United States Golf Association.

“In my mind, Annie is on her way to even more success,” said Weeks.  “What's special is that Annie is such a wonderful person, comes from a wonderful family, and knows what is important in life. If anyone can handle (the leadership role), she can. She has all the ingredients.”           

Home grown
Not yet 20 years of age and driven by the nature of an athletic family, Annie gets much of her competition these days playing ping-pong, taking on all-comers in the OSU student union, and basketball (she was an all-state point guard in high school).

Presently, she is home in Utah for the summer, still very much a comfort zone, with a supportive family and friends in the Highland 15th Ward. At school, she attends a student ward, but she estimates only about 100 LDS members are active on campus.

This, too, gives her leadership opportunities, she says.

“It's not at all like being at home, where everyone's part of the (church family),” she said. “In the first few months of my freshman year, it really was difficult. But you learn to seek out friends, and now our (campus) ward is very close. But, it's not home.”

As a youngster, Thurman developed her athletic skills early. Her father and brother both played collegiate golf and both her mother and sister also enjoy sports.

“We played baseball, basketball, volleyball, you name it,” said Annie.  “My dad played at Southern Utah University and he can still beat me today. My brother played at Dixie College (St. George, Utah) – he's on a mission now in Canada. I'll beat him when he gets back.”

There’s a smile in her voice.

“We're a close family and I know they all support what I'm doing,” said Annie.

As a student at Lone Peak High School, Thurman was a three-time all-state golf selection and won the Utah state prep championship in 1999. She was sixth at the North American Junior Championships in Dallas and sixth in the Junior World Championships at Torrey Pines, north of San Diego. In basketball, she helped her team to the 4A state championship. Her victory in the USAPL was the first by a resident of Utah.

Last fall, she competed in four tournaments in her freshman year at Oklahoma State and she says she is looking forward to getting back on the circuit. Just not right now.

Life observations
“Church is so cool, I’ve had some great Young Women’s leaders,” said Thurman. “My sister’s always been with me, but she’s going to be attending Utah Valley State College this fall, and that will be so cool for her. I found that being away (from home) actually strengthened my testimony.”

Life in college, she says, is a lot different than life in Highland.

“Every part of my life improved,” said Thurman. “It was difficult at the start; however, things did get comfortable. The people in our ward on campus are awesome. Totally.”

A fresh spirit with a sense of direction. That’s Annie.

“What impressed me about Annie was her spirit,” said Weeks. “She has a real vibe for life, a lot of zest for what she does. I can't really say she wears her emotions on her sleeve, but she is both emotional and energetic. You definitely know she's into what she is doing.”

Weeks, an assistant coach before replacing Pitts, came in contact with Thurman through a mutual friend, also a golfer.

“(Annie) had written to the school about the golf program and after I took over the program, I made a few telephone calls, including one to her father,” said Weeks. “Finally, I got to see her in the Utah women's amateur tournament – she shot a 66 and did some very nice things. When we met, we really hit it off. We are similar in that we are both enthusiastic and energetic, and I told her I wanted her to be a big part of what we wanted to do with the program.”

Oklahoma State of mind
The women's golf program at Oklahoma State was one of the strongest in the southwest, winning 15 conference championships in coach Pitts' 24 years as head coach. Women's golf was added to the Oklahoma State athletic program in 1976.

“(Annie) bought into the idea of being part of our program, being a part of the tradition here, being a part of something big,” said Weeks. “She's going to be meeting good competition over the next couple of years, but I know she can hold her own. She's got good genes.”

Thurman knows that. However, she does not feel the need to measure up to anyone's expectations but her own. And what she wants to do is play as well as she can and have fun. Her recent play in Oregon was no surprise, however.

“The course was right for her,” said Weeks. “We talked before she left and I told her just to be herself. She is a natural. I'm not at all intrusive about their game, I hate to dissect any of our golfers or break down anyone, but Annie has a good overall package. She hits the ball very well off the tee, she has a strong wedge game, and she gets herself out of trouble. When she hits a bad shot, she loves to track it down and work herself out of trouble. She's got strong recovery abilities.”

Recovering, however, was not something Thurman has had to do. Her scores are consistent, she does not allow herself to be pulled down by bogeys, nor does she allow herself to be unnecessarily upbeat by birdies. She knows what she has to do.

Golf, she says, is a challenge, often occupying as much as six hours a day of her time. Never, though, does it interfere with her academics.

“There is no question her victory (in the USWAPL) is a big confidence builder,” said Weeks. “She did OK as a freshman, but she knows she could have done better. We don't put any pressure on the younger golfers – they do that to themselves – but we know Annie has something special about her. Through the years, Oklahoma State has had a lot of golfers to bank on, and Annie is going to be one of them.”  

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Mike Morrow is a sportswriter living in Southern California and has won more than a dozen national and local writing awards in his career. He has covered professional and collegiate sports and says his most memorable moments were covering the great UCLA basketball teams in the 1970s and his association with many of the world's great athletes. Mike attends the Sylmar, Calif., Ward, where he is Young Men's President (his wife Ingrid is Young Women's President).