The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

If her first tournament of the season was any indication, Taneka Sandiford is set to have a career year in her sophomore season at Redlands Community College. 

Sandiford and her Cougars won their first golf tournament of the season when they took the title of the SWCU Women’s Fall Golf Classic, hosted at the Lake Hefner Golf Club in Oklahoma City this weekend. 

Sandiford tied for third place when she shot an opening round 73 followed by a 76 for a total of 149. It was her best personal collegiate score in her career thus far.

As a team, the Cougars claimed the title when they finished with a two day team total of 8+ over par, for a total of 588.  

The Cougars’ Lina Aguillon finished first overall, shooting a two day total of 6 under par, 70 and 69 (139).  

Following her freshman year as a Cougar, Sandiford admitted that it was indeed a learning experience.

“Golf has actually been pretty good. It’s a bit different from coming here,” Sandiford said.

“I never used to play golf all the time, but now in college, I’m playing every day and all day, running three miles two times a week, going to the gym, so it’s something different and something I’m not used to doing.

“So just getting out there and playing against division one schools is really something that I had to adjust to. Being around these players who are so serious about the game has changed my whole perspective on the game.”

Through her enrolment in the Bahamas Junior Golf Association, Sandiford was afforded a full athletic scholarship to attend Redlands in El Reno, California.

She reflected on a successful year one which ended in heartbreak as the Cougars finished as runners-up at the National Championships. 

“It sucks to come second, but we just have to keep getting better and better,” she said. “We showed up good, but we just have to play better than we did. I know I need to improve my game a whole lot and I think just being here has helped to give me a much better appreciation for the game.”

That improvement in her game was apparent in year two as she opened the season with a career high score.

During the offseason, she was also a presence at the Bahamas’ first pro golf event. 

Sandiford played as a caddie for veteran American Jill McGrill, who finished tied with 11 other golfers at 137 during the inaugural Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic at the Ocean Club Golf Course on Paradise Island.

“Once I’m finished with college with my degrees, I will take golf as far as I can go. I’m leaving it in God’s hands. If it’s His will for me to play on the LPGA, then I will be out there.

From running the floor as the “do-it-all” player on St John’s Giants senior girls’ basketball team two years ago, Sandiford now lines up her tee shots as a member of the Cougars women’s golf team.

“I realise that you could end up getting hurt playing basketball, so to say I miss it, yes I do. I still occasionally play it for fun,” she said. “But I’m in college now, I prefer golf. I love golf now. So I prefer to be playing golf than playing basketball.”

Her post collegiate plans include graduating with a double associate degree in business management and early childhood education so that she can come home and assist her mother, Christine Sandiford, in her preschools - One On One Pre-School and Two By Two Academy. Her father is tennis pro Juan Sandiford.