Wake Forest Athletics
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Experience Bodes Well for Migliaccio in Preparation for Final Spring Season
12/7/2020 12:00:00 PM | Women's Golf
While the Wake Forest women's golf team had the fall off from NCAA-sanctioned team competition, they still stayed incredibly busy both on and off the links.
Returning senior Emilia Migliaccio has already played as an amateur in two professional events and will be competing in the December U.S. Women's Open in Houston, Texas. It'll be the second time playing in the U.S. Women's Open for Migliaccio, who played in 2018 in her very first professional event.
"It was awesome," Migliaccio said about playing in the two events earlier this fall. "It was such a good experience. A perception people have of professional athletes is that everyone is super-intense and super-focused. It's really the opposite, which makes sense. These players are going for so many weeks in a row, and you can't expend your energy being uptight all the time. They were so relaxed. The times they were intense was when they stepped in the tee box to compete."
Migliaccio played in an LPGA event, the ANA Inspiration, in September and a Symetra Tour event, the Carolina Golf Classic, in October. While mingling with established professional golfers this fall like Christian Kim and Stacy Lewis, she began to better learn where and when to let her intensity surface.
"Everyone was just really happy, cheerful and totally relaxed," she said. "It was really helpful for me, because I'm someone who will use up my energy sometimes in unnecessary places. I do that all the time, and I'm super intense all the time. That's not helpful even though sometimes it feels like it should be. That was my biggest takeaway from playing in those events."
"I'm so proud of myself for working so hard in the spring and the earlier years, so that I could have this opportunity to play in these two events and the US Open coming up. We didn't have a fall season, which was a bummer. But being able to play in these events has given me a chance to learn so much. It's a great advantage to me, who will hopefully be a rookie next year, to have that little bit of knowledge on how people are going about their lives as a professional. I hope to use that as I turn into a professional."
But she did more than just learn more about becoming a professional, Migliaccio played some pretty solid golf as well, finishing tied for fourth in the Carolina Golf Classic at Pinehurst.
"My ball striking was incredible," Migliaccio said. "The third day I just kind of held everything together while playing my C-game. Then the last day, my short game was amazing. I was able to get three birdies on the back nine. The work I did with my long irons was important."
She shot 69 in the final round, finishing the tournament at one-under par. Top prize in the tournament was $30,000 and fourth place paid $10,955. As an amateur player, Migliaccio wasn't eligible for the payout.
"It's fine," she said with a laugh. "If I'm playing professionally, then I need to finish toward the top often, otherwise I'll have to do something else. For me, it wasn't about what I would have earned. But it was great to see that I can finish well in a professional event. It gave me a great deal of confidence."
In addition to her professional play, Migliaccio has been practicing with her Demon Deacon teammates, knocking out her coursework and serving as Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president. She credited Director for Student-Athlete Development Ashley Wechter, Faculty Athletic Representative Peter Brubaker and Athletic Director John Currie for helping her during her tenure as SAAC president.
"They have really helped me," Migliaccio said. "It's been a great experience for me, and I've been able to use some different skills. I was a little hesitant at first, but now I'm really glad I have this experience."
With the Deacs ranked No. 1 in the country when the season unexpectedly came to a screeching halt earlier this year because of Covid-19, Migliaccio is anxious to return to team play with her squad and believes they have the makings for a championship season in the spring.
"We're going to be preparing as if we'll have a season," Migliaccio said. "I'm hopeful. Almost all the girls on the team are playing in at least one tournament over winter break.
"I want to win nationals, and I want to win it so badly, especially after not having a chance last year. We have a strong team, actually a stronger one than last year, with Swing returning and adding all the freshmen. You can't focus on the outcome too much. Just focus on the process, play the best you can and that should bring the victory."
Returning senior Emilia Migliaccio has already played as an amateur in two professional events and will be competing in the December U.S. Women's Open in Houston, Texas. It'll be the second time playing in the U.S. Women's Open for Migliaccio, who played in 2018 in her very first professional event.
"It was awesome," Migliaccio said about playing in the two events earlier this fall. "It was such a good experience. A perception people have of professional athletes is that everyone is super-intense and super-focused. It's really the opposite, which makes sense. These players are going for so many weeks in a row, and you can't expend your energy being uptight all the time. They were so relaxed. The times they were intense was when they stepped in the tee box to compete."
Migliaccio played in an LPGA event, the ANA Inspiration, in September and a Symetra Tour event, the Carolina Golf Classic, in October. While mingling with established professional golfers this fall like Christian Kim and Stacy Lewis, she began to better learn where and when to let her intensity surface.
"Everyone was just really happy, cheerful and totally relaxed," she said. "It was really helpful for me, because I'm someone who will use up my energy sometimes in unnecessary places. I do that all the time, and I'm super intense all the time. That's not helpful even though sometimes it feels like it should be. That was my biggest takeaway from playing in those events."
"I'm so proud of myself for working so hard in the spring and the earlier years, so that I could have this opportunity to play in these two events and the US Open coming up. We didn't have a fall season, which was a bummer. But being able to play in these events has given me a chance to learn so much. It's a great advantage to me, who will hopefully be a rookie next year, to have that little bit of knowledge on how people are going about their lives as a professional. I hope to use that as I turn into a professional."
But she did more than just learn more about becoming a professional, Migliaccio played some pretty solid golf as well, finishing tied for fourth in the Carolina Golf Classic at Pinehurst.
"My ball striking was incredible," Migliaccio said. "The third day I just kind of held everything together while playing my C-game. Then the last day, my short game was amazing. I was able to get three birdies on the back nine. The work I did with my long irons was important."
She shot 69 in the final round, finishing the tournament at one-under par. Top prize in the tournament was $30,000 and fourth place paid $10,955. As an amateur player, Migliaccio wasn't eligible for the payout.
"It's fine," she said with a laugh. "If I'm playing professionally, then I need to finish toward the top often, otherwise I'll have to do something else. For me, it wasn't about what I would have earned. But it was great to see that I can finish well in a professional event. It gave me a great deal of confidence."
In addition to her professional play, Migliaccio has been practicing with her Demon Deacon teammates, knocking out her coursework and serving as Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president. She credited Director for Student-Athlete Development Ashley Wechter, Faculty Athletic Representative Peter Brubaker and Athletic Director John Currie for helping her during her tenure as SAAC president.
"They have really helped me," Migliaccio said. "It's been a great experience for me, and I've been able to use some different skills. I was a little hesitant at first, but now I'm really glad I have this experience."
With the Deacs ranked No. 1 in the country when the season unexpectedly came to a screeching halt earlier this year because of Covid-19, Migliaccio is anxious to return to team play with her squad and believes they have the makings for a championship season in the spring.
"We're going to be preparing as if we'll have a season," Migliaccio said. "I'm hopeful. Almost all the girls on the team are playing in at least one tournament over winter break.
"I want to win nationals, and I want to win it so badly, especially after not having a chance last year. We have a strong team, actually a stronger one than last year, with Swing returning and adding all the freshmen. You can't focus on the outcome too much. Just focus on the process, play the best you can and that should bring the victory."
Players Mentioned
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