A Classic Returns to Aggieland

As the calendar flipped to August, Texas A&M women’s golf coach Gerrod Chadwell released the Aggies’ 2022-23 schedule. Fans of the Maroon & White were greeted with a pleasant surprise as they ran their finger down the release. There it was in bold font – September 20-21 – “Mo”Morial Invitational – Traditions Golf Club.

The “Mo”Morial Invitational disappeared from the Aggies’ schedule following the 2014 edition, leaving A&M golfers without a home tournament to showcase their games for eight years.

“I was so excited to see we had a home tournament scheduled for the season,” A&M golfer Hailee Cooper said. “I asked Coach (Chadwell) last year ‘Can we have this tournament before I leave?’ because I really wanted to play at home.”

Every season, familiar names spangle the list of top women’s collegiate golf tournaments in the country, the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic, the Betsy Rawls Invitational, ASU PING Invitational and many others. Coach Chadwell is intent on The “Mo”Morial Invitational earning its place back on that list.

“It’s our home game,” Chadwell said. “You only get one home game and that’s only if it works out and you can host a tournament. It’s not like that for any other sport. You definitely want to give your team a chance to play a home game. For our kids to compete in front of our fans is important. I see a different side of them every time somebody shows up to watch them.”

The genesis of the “Mo”Morial came as tournament to honor an Aggie golf great Monica Welsh, who died tragically in an automobile accident in 1992 near the Austin-area golf course where she worked as an assistant golf pro and held the course record.

“Monica was a remarkable young woman,” her brother, retired Air Force General Mark A. Welsh III conveyed to the 12th Man Foundation. “She loved the competition, and she loved the hard work that went into getting better at it. She was really a special human being first and then she was a pretty darn good golfer on top of that.”

Welsh was a standout when women’s athletics was still in its infancy at Texas A&M. She lettered four years in Aggieland from 1978-82, earning team MVP honors as a junior and senior. She held the Texas A&M record for low competitive round (68) until 2005. Welsh was a Texas Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (TAIAW) All-State selection in 1981 and ’82 and a SWAIAW All-Region pick in 1982. She earned co-medalist honors at the 1979 TAIAW State Championship.

“I know the family is appreciative of this tournament and the effort to keep her memory and legacy going,” Chadwell said. “She meant so much to them and this program.”

 Early in her golf career, Welsh battled toe-to-toe with the boys. Her first two prep years the high school she attended did not offer girls golf, so Welsh starred on the boys team. Her father retired as an Air Force pilot and the team settled in Austin, Texas. Enrolling at Crockett High School her junior and senior years, she finally found a girls team and she helped that squad dominate. Her team won every tournament they entered during her junior and senior years. 

“It is an honor to bring it back” Cooper said. “We get to play for something and someone. We get to play for our Aggie family, honoring her in that way that is really special and I am excited to go out and play in her memory.”

The tournament was a nomad the first 11 years. Originally the Texas A&M Bookstore/Monica Welsh Memorial Golf Tournament, it debuted at Pebble Creek Country Club in 1994 where it remained until 1999. In 2000-01, the tournament headed out to Pine Forest Country Club in Houston before returning to the Brazos Valley at Bryan’s Briarcrest Country Club in 2002. Blackhorse Golf Club in Houston hosted the tournament in 2003-04.

This year will be the eighth year at the par-72, 6,406-yard Traditions Golf Club, the home course of Texas A&M golf. It’s a challenging course worthy of NCAA postseason play.

“Keeping the ball in play and in the fairway is the challenge,” A&M golfer Jennie Park said. “The rough is pretty thick right now and the greens are pretty small. Knowing where the fat part of the green is located is pretty difficult. You have to play smart and not be too aggressive.” 

Through the years, some of the best collegiate players have competed at the “Mo”Morial, giving golf aficionados an opportunity to see future professionals. The list includes two-time LPGA Player of the Year Stacy Lewis, who also happens to be married to Chadwell, as well as three-time LPGA major winner Anna Nordqvist and 2010 LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year Azahara Munoz.

This year’s edition of the “Mo”Morial features a mix of national powers and regional foes. Four top 25 squads are in the field, including Texas A&M (10), Florida (12), Texas (14) and Texas Tech (24). Other national brands include Miami, North Carolina, Charlotte, Kansas and Kansas State with five other in-state opponents rounding out the field.

“For the first year back, it’s a great field,” Chadwell said. “People get pretty set into what tournaments they are going to play in the fall. A lot of programs play the same eight or nine tournaments every year. We have some top 25 teams and then we have regional flavor. Collegiate golf in the state is pretty strong, so we’ll have a competitive field. Many of the local coaches have expressed their gratitude for the tournament coming back. Being able to play a top-notch tournament at a top-notch course that is also affordable for travel is always appreciated.”

Chadwell thinks the popularity of the “Mo”Morial will quickly pick up momentum, especially with the course hosting an NCAA Regional in spring 2024.

“I think it will continue to get better with people having the awareness of it being back, especially if we can keep it around the same date,” Chadwell said. “Next year, I know a lot of good teams will be trying to get into the tournament because we are hosting a regional. Having knowledge of a course you may play a regional in is invaluable and they will want that experience.” 

To play Traditions is to love Traditions. The belief is the tournament and the golf course will attract a lot of return customers.

“I think once teams come here and see what a terrific and challenging course Traditions is, they will want to come back,” Chadwell said. “We’ll be one of the tournaments they will want to have on the schedule every year.”

Texas A&M has won its home tournament on six occasions, but they are looking to hoist the “Mo”Morial trophy for the first time since 2009. A Who’s Who of A&M golf has earned the individual title at the tournament, including Kristina Edfors (1994), Isabelle Rosberg (1996 & ’98), Anna Jonsson (1999), Ashley Knoll (2006), Julia Boland (2009) and Sara Beth Davis (2009). 

The Aggies are hoping to fill the mantel with trophies from this year’s edition. But the Maroon & White are also hoping to show off everything Texas A&M has to offer.

“I was so excited because I know the tournament was discontinued a couple years ago,” Park said. “It will be really cool to see all of the teams come out and play Traditions and see how great of a course it is and how special A&M is.”