Anyone who plays golf to relax doesn’t know Christy Larrimore. Friendly and outgoing around friends on campus, the junior golf star is all intensity on the links.
“She’s completely different when we’re playing,” Connie Isler, the team’s senior captain, said. “She focuses really well: She zones everything out.”
Consistency, especially at the amateur level, is a rare trait, but Larrimore’s tendency to shoot low scores has become a given. The latest example came in the Ross Resort Invitational where rounds of 78-76-79 tied Larrimore for fourth in the season-ending tournament.
“I put up some decent numbers, but I really know I have the ability to play a lot better,” Larrimore said. “I was hitting the ball well, but my putts were not dropping, so it was a bit frustrating.”
When the putts do fall however, Larrimore is one of the biggest threats in the Big East. Ever since she captured the Maryland Amateur Championship at Congressional Country Club this past summer, winning has been the benchmark for success.
“Congressional was nice, but considering it has hosted the US Open, it’s still not my favorite course,” Larrimore said. “I like the course, because I have good memories of playing well there.”
Despite the tough field and challenging course conditions at The Ross Invitational, Larrimore wanted a better result this week at the Donald Ross-designed course.
“I only finished four strokes off the lead, but at the same time the competitor in me knows I had plenty of chances to make up those shots in the last round,” Larrimore said.
“I just move on,” she added. “I don’t dwell on mistakes, Golf is all about learning from them, because eventually you will be in that position again.”
At this point, however, Larrimore has been doing a lot more teaching. The women’s golf team is a young squad composed of three first-years and three sophomores. Isler will be the only player graduating this spring.
“We’ll miss Connie a lot; it’s really fun for me to play out there with her,” Larrimore said. “Plus she’s a very calming influence, because she helps me step back and take a breath.”
Although the Georgetown program is only in its fourth year of existence, the team has already made a significant impression in the Big East. Last year the team was able to clinch a spot in the Big East championship, which consists of the top four teams in the conference. This run was largely fueled by Larrimore’s runner-up finish in the individual competition. Her even-par score of 72 in the first round of last year’s Big East Championship is third all-time in the golf record books.
“I finished second by one stupid shot last year, so obviously I’d like to win the championship this year,” Larrimore said. “I’m hoping all that practice can help me shave at least that one stroke.”
As for aspirations to play professionally after Georgetown, Larrimore is torn between her competitive nature and a sense of practicality.
“I don’t want to have to depend on playing golf to make a living,” Larrimore said. “I love playing the game, especially with the teammates I have. Everything else is down the road.”
There is little doubt, however, that when she gets to all that other stuff, it will receive the same scrutiny she currently gives to the game of golf.
