MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Talk about a whirlwind golf odyssey for Cobber women's golf head coach Maddie Herzog. One day she was at the Moorhead Country Club preparing the team for the upcoming fall season and the next day she was on the practice range in New Jersey preparing to play in the prestigious U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Championship at the Montclair Golf Club.
Herzog qualified for the national event back in July when she earned co-medalist honors at the U.S. Mid-Amateur qualifying held at White Bear Lake Yacht Club in White Bear Lake on July 8.
What makes the Cinderella story even more fairy-tale like is that Herzog wasn't even thinking about qualifying for the national event until just before the local qualifier round.
"I had no intention of qualifying or doing any of it," Herzog said. "The qualifier was actually my first round of 18 holes this summer. I play in the Resorters Golf Tournament (in Alexandria) in the summer and I thought it was good practice getting ready for that, because that's what I set my summer goals for."
Talk about a random practice round turning into a golfer's bucket list item.
Herzog casually shot a one-over score of 73 for the qualifying round which included four birdies and nothing more than a bogey. Her first round of the summer turned into an all-expense-paid trip to New Jersey.
"My friend's Dad caddied for me and I just ended up playing really well and qualified," Herzog commented. "I wasn't even sure that I was going to play in the tournament (the national Mid-Amateur Championship), because it was our first week of practice for Concordia but everyone that I've talked to said you have to go. You have to go and do it."
On Tuesday Herzog was organizing this year's Cobber team at the Moorhead CC as they began qualifying rounds for their season. She then flew out to New Jersey on Thursday to play a few practice rounds on a course she has never seen in preparation for the two stroke play rounds of qualifying for match play on Saturday, Aug. 29 and Sunday, Aug. 30.
"I'm looking forward to a unique experience," Herzog added. "Everyone I've talked to that has played in a USGA event has said it's an unreal experience and that they treat you like royalty. It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing."
If Herzog can rebottle the magic she had in White Bear Lake and finish in the Top 64 (out of 128) she will qualify for match play that pits players in a head-to-head situation all the way until the championship match.
As for her goals – "I want to go out there and play good golf," Herzog added. "I've never been out east to play so I don't know what the course looks like. My parents are coming with me so it will be a cool experience for everyone. I'd like to make the cut, but I just want to enjoy it all."
Herzog's "cool" experience will start on Saturday when she steps into the first tee box at 11:25 local time for her opening round of a United States Golf Association national event.
And with her Dad by her side as her caddy for the journey, you never know what will be the next chapter in Herzog's midsummer dream.