FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (July 16, 2020) – Alyza Flores was a mainstay in the Northern Arizona golf lineup during her freshman year in 2019-20, competing in all eight tournaments.
Flores opened up her collegiate career in a tie for 29th at the Hobble Creek Fall Classic and then shot her best three-round score of 10-over par 226 at the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown. She finished her first season with the Lumberjacks with an average score of 76.78 and had a best individual finish of a tie for 18th at the Grand Canyon Spring Invitational.
Q: Where are you right now and what does a normal day look like for you?
A: Currently I am back in my hometown of Tucson, and I'm back to my summer routine. I usually wake up at 4:30 a.m. and leave my house by 4:45 to be at the golf course to practice before it starts to get too hot. I practice until about 9:30-10:00 and then go home to work out since the gyms have been closed. After my workouts I typically either take a nap, go run errands if necessary, or go back to the golf course to work. If I am not working in the afternoons I typically come back out to play at least nine holes or even 18 with some of the members out at my home course.
Q: What are you most looking forward to when you get back to competing on the golf course?
A: I am looking forward to the competition and getting to play new courses again. Looking back at my freshman year it was a blast getting to see not only new places but different golf courses because they are all so different and unique in their own way.
Q: What is motivating or encouraging you to push through these difficult times?
A: I am motivated by my ambition to improve and be prepared for this upcoming fall season. Though I am not sure what is going to happen in the next few months I know it is super important to be prepared regardless of what may happen.
Q: How did you first get into your sport?
A: I got into my sport before attending high school. I wanted to pick a sport to pursue and try my best to fully succeed in and I had heard of the scholarship opportunities for women's golf and thought it was something I could achieve. I dedicated a lot of time and effort to get to where I am and it has been paying off for sure.
Q: If you could be a dual-sport athlete at NAU, what sport would you compete in and why?
A: If I could be a dual-sport athlete I think I would want to be on the volleyball team. I played volleyball for a couple of years and loved the atmosphere I was in when playing. My freshman roommate was also on the volleyball team and I loved going to the games and watching the team play.
Q: If you could pick any other NAU student-athlete to try out your sport, who would it be and why?
A: It would have to be one of the football players. At times I think people think that golf is a super easy sport, but once someone truly takes the time to try and play they see how difficult it can be.
Q: What is your best golf memory ever?
A: My best golf memory was during the fall season when we traveled to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The golf course was beautiful and just off the lake. We went tubing on the lake the day we flew in and had a dinner cruise on the lake the following night. It was a great traveling and golf experience.
Q: What is your major and what are your career aspirations?
A: I am majoring in Exercise Science and want to be a Physician Assistant. Ultimately, when I get out of college I do want to play professional golf, but I know that if that doesn't work out I have my education to fall back on.
