Personal Statement
Tierney Baumstark (Class of 2023)
I'm determined, very focused, goal-oriented and seek out challenges. Golf challenges you every time you play. It helps you develop mental toughness and character. It's what makes me love the game so much. I held my first golf club when I was about 2. I really started playing consistently when I was about 10 and it very quickly became my favorite thing to do.
I just finished my high school junior season with Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, Missouri. I’m a member of the varsity team. After winning our conference and district championships, Rock Bridge placed 4th in Class 4 (the highest class) at the state championship at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield, Mo. Individually, I finished T6th out of the 80+ competitors and tied for the lowest score on day 2 with a 73 (+1). It was a great experience both for my team and for me as an individual competitor. This season I earned all-state, first team all-district and first team all-conference honors. I had 3 match wins, 8 top 5 finishes and two top 10 finishes, including my T6th finish at state.
I‘m continuing to play this winter and recently finished T18 (2-day score of 157) out of a field of 100 girls in the Hurricane Junior Tour National Championship Tournament in Orlando, Florida.
Earlier in my 2021 summer season, I had 7 top 10 finishes. I placed 4th in the Missouri Junior Match Play Championship and 8th in the Missouri Junior Am. I was also fortunate to be selected as one of six junior players to represent Missouri in the Four State Championship by the Missouri Golf Association. Our team finished as runner-up in the 3-day tournament.
In 2020, I was the Missouri Golf Association Junior Tour Championship Runner-up shooting a 78-79 in the two-day tournament. I finished 6th in my division in the 2020 Missouri Junior Amateur Championship shooting a 79-80. In 2019, I was the Missouri Golf Association Junior Tour Points Champion (14-15 Division) and placed third in the MGA Junior Tour Championship. As a member of the varsity Rock Bridge High School Girls’ Golf Team, I was part of the team that won the 2020 conference championship and the 2020 district championship. I placed 3rd individually at districts with a 77. Our team qualified for state and placed fourth. Individually, I placed in the top 25 out of 72 players in the state tournament. I earned second-team all-conference and all-district honors as a sophomore.
I currently play on the MGA Junior Tour, the MGA Accelerated Tour, the Gateway PGA Junior Tour, the AJGA and Hurricane Junior tours to further my golf aspirations.
In addition to golf, I was a member of the 2019-20 Rock Bridge High School Freshman Girls’ Basketball Team and I ran track. I earned 'Most Improved Player' honors for my basketball team efforts in the 2019-20 season and was recognized as a 3-sport athlete by my school in 2020.
In 2021, I received the Rock Bridge High School Rising Bruin Outstanding Sportsmanship Award. I'm especially proud, honored and humbled by that recognition because it's selected by fellow student-athletes from nominations submitted by coaches from all 23 high school sports offered at my high school. I believe being a good teammate is just as, if not more important, than being an outstanding individual competitor.
I’m committed to school, maintaining a 3.92 GPA, and have an interest in pursuing a career in the medical profession. I also enjoy art and have participated in several art shows in my hometown.
My parents, Frank and Michelle, are very supportive of my commitment to golf and I have a younger sister, Emma (14), who also plays golf, runs track and enjoys art.
One of my favorite golf quotes: "Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots, you get good breaks from bad shots, but you have to play the ball where it lies." - Bobby Jones
