Colorado University Athletics
Iqbal Ready For One Last Ride
February 11, 2024 | Women's Golf
BOULDER — When Colorado's Sabrina Iqbal walked off the final green at Stage II of the LPGA's Qualifying Series last fall, she faced a decision that might cause most some sleepless nights.
Iqbal had qualified for the Q-Series final stage in December, but to continue on, she would have to turn professional. Fortunately for Iqbal, and Colorado, that decision had actually been made months earlier.
Focused on making the most of a final season of college golf from the beginning, Iqbal put together a memorable collegiate and amateur fall season. Now she, and her Buffaloes teammates, turn their attention to the Spring portion of the 2023-24 season which tees off Monday at the San Diego State Classic.
The 54-hole event will take place at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. Twelve teams make up the field, including No. 6 South Carolina, No. 7 Oregon, No. 23 Virginia and No. 30 Georgia. The tournament will consist of 36 holes on Monday, beginning with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. MT. Tuesday's final 18-hole round will also begin at 9 a.m.
Iqbal advanced past the first of Q-School in August, tying for 33rd with a 72-hole score of 5-under-par, 283, in Rancho Mirage, Calif. She fared even better at Stage II in Plantation, Fla., in October finishing tied for eighth overall at 7-under, 281, where the top 40 and ties of that event qualified for the final Q-Series.
It was at this point, Iqbal pivoted back to her final season of collegiate golf. Although she turned down the chance to become professional at that moment, her success this fall earned her the shot to play on the EPSON Professional Tour once her collegiate career ends this spring.
Iqbal, a former All-Big 12 Conference golfer at TCU, went through LPGA Q-School in 2022 before deciding to join Colorado as a graduate transfer this past fall. Knowing she would have the full college season to compete, helped in her second go around at Q-School.
"It was a little less pressure knowing I had no intention in turning pro right then and there," Iqbal said. "I wanted to play my best, and I think that allowed me to play as well as I did. I figured the whole reason I wanted to do another (college) year was that I wasn't in a rush to turn pro, and my mindset was I didn't really want to be on a college team for just four months. Academics are important to me and I really wanted to finish a master's degree."
"This is an opportunity for me to keep working on my game and turning pro will always be there. I'm loving Colorado so far, so I'm really glad that I decided to stay."
Iqbal had a fantastic fall season for Colorado. She played in four events with three top 20 finishes and one in the top five, placing second at Colorado State's Colonel Wollenberg Ram Classic in September at -12 under, 204. Iqbal played nine of 12 rounds at par or better.
The San Diego State Classic is the first of five Spring Season Tournaments for the Buffaloes before the final Pac-12 Championship in April. Included in that regular season slate is the annual Chevron Silverado Showdown co-hosted by Colorado, April 8-10, in Napa, Calif.
Colorado has taken advantage of some 60-degree days in the past couple of weeks to play outdoors while still getting some good practice in at the Colorado National facility.
"We have a few players dealing with nagging injuries, but hoping we can keep everyone healthy and ready to play this spring," Colorado head coach Anne Kelly said. "The next month is busy for our team, with three tournaments in the next four weeks. It will be nice to get the team back on the road and in competition mode once again."
Colorado will look for its 1-2 punch of Iqbal and sophomore Morgan Miller to continue the momentum from their record setting fall seasons. Miller and Iqbal put together the best two fall seasons in team history. Miller set school records for fall season stroke average (70.40) and score in relation to par average (-1.40) while Iqbal was right behind with the second-best marks in both categories (70.93, -1.08).
Joining Miller and Iqbal for the San Diego Classic will be senior Hailey Schalk, junior Maria Eidhagen Harrouch and freshman Carolyn Fuller. Junior Lauren Waxer Gooding will also be competing as an individual.
"We are looking forward to kicking off the spring season in San Diego," Colorado head coach Anne Kelly said. "The Farms Golf Club is a challenging test of golf and is usually in great shape. The team has been working hard in practice and workouts since the beginning of the semester and I know they are excited to get going."
Iqbal had qualified for the Q-Series final stage in December, but to continue on, she would have to turn professional. Fortunately for Iqbal, and Colorado, that decision had actually been made months earlier.
Focused on making the most of a final season of college golf from the beginning, Iqbal put together a memorable collegiate and amateur fall season. Now she, and her Buffaloes teammates, turn their attention to the Spring portion of the 2023-24 season which tees off Monday at the San Diego State Classic.
The 54-hole event will take place at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. Twelve teams make up the field, including No. 6 South Carolina, No. 7 Oregon, No. 23 Virginia and No. 30 Georgia. The tournament will consist of 36 holes on Monday, beginning with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. MT. Tuesday's final 18-hole round will also begin at 9 a.m.
Iqbal advanced past the first of Q-School in August, tying for 33rd with a 72-hole score of 5-under-par, 283, in Rancho Mirage, Calif. She fared even better at Stage II in Plantation, Fla., in October finishing tied for eighth overall at 7-under, 281, where the top 40 and ties of that event qualified for the final Q-Series.
It was at this point, Iqbal pivoted back to her final season of collegiate golf. Although she turned down the chance to become professional at that moment, her success this fall earned her the shot to play on the EPSON Professional Tour once her collegiate career ends this spring.
Iqbal, a former All-Big 12 Conference golfer at TCU, went through LPGA Q-School in 2022 before deciding to join Colorado as a graduate transfer this past fall. Knowing she would have the full college season to compete, helped in her second go around at Q-School.
"It was a little less pressure knowing I had no intention in turning pro right then and there," Iqbal said. "I wanted to play my best, and I think that allowed me to play as well as I did. I figured the whole reason I wanted to do another (college) year was that I wasn't in a rush to turn pro, and my mindset was I didn't really want to be on a college team for just four months. Academics are important to me and I really wanted to finish a master's degree."
"This is an opportunity for me to keep working on my game and turning pro will always be there. I'm loving Colorado so far, so I'm really glad that I decided to stay."
Iqbal had a fantastic fall season for Colorado. She played in four events with three top 20 finishes and one in the top five, placing second at Colorado State's Colonel Wollenberg Ram Classic in September at -12 under, 204. Iqbal played nine of 12 rounds at par or better.
The San Diego State Classic is the first of five Spring Season Tournaments for the Buffaloes before the final Pac-12 Championship in April. Included in that regular season slate is the annual Chevron Silverado Showdown co-hosted by Colorado, April 8-10, in Napa, Calif.
Colorado has taken advantage of some 60-degree days in the past couple of weeks to play outdoors while still getting some good practice in at the Colorado National facility.
"We have a few players dealing with nagging injuries, but hoping we can keep everyone healthy and ready to play this spring," Colorado head coach Anne Kelly said. "The next month is busy for our team, with three tournaments in the next four weeks. It will be nice to get the team back on the road and in competition mode once again."
Colorado will look for its 1-2 punch of Iqbal and sophomore Morgan Miller to continue the momentum from their record setting fall seasons. Miller and Iqbal put together the best two fall seasons in team history. Miller set school records for fall season stroke average (70.40) and score in relation to par average (-1.40) while Iqbal was right behind with the second-best marks in both categories (70.93, -1.08).
Joining Miller and Iqbal for the San Diego Classic will be senior Hailey Schalk, junior Maria Eidhagen Harrouch and freshman Carolyn Fuller. Junior Lauren Waxer Gooding will also be competing as an individual.
"We are looking forward to kicking off the spring season in San Diego," Colorado head coach Anne Kelly said. "The Farms Golf Club is a challenging test of golf and is usually in great shape. The team has been working hard in practice and workouts since the beginning of the semester and I know they are excited to get going."
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