Scavo Steps Out On National Stage

For three days last week in Washington, Kathleen Scavo brought the entirety of her four years' experience with the Oregon women's golf team to bear in an NCAA Regional.

Looking to make the NCAA Championships in her last chance as a senior, Scavo didn't let the pressure affect her. As her teammates struggled to stay in contention, Scavo kept her focus to stay in position for an individual bid. And on a bucolic course, the naturally reserved UO senior unleashed a killer instinct over all three rounds, finishing fourth overall to qualify for nationals, which begin Friday in Arkansas.

"My senior year, obviously I wanted to go out with a bang," said Scavo, who begins play at nationals Friday at 10:50 a.m. PT on the 6,473-yard, par-73 Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Ark. "It was really important for us to make nationals, and it's really sad we didn't make it as a team. But I'm still excited to represent the University of Oregon."

A native of Benicia, Calif., Scavo will be making her third NCAA Championships appearance, but her first in two years after the Ducks fell short in an injury ravaged 2018 season.

Scavo's freshman year saw her contribute to Oregon's run to the quarterfinal round of the 2016 NCAA Championships, played at Eugene Country Club. That was the first deposit into a deep well of postseason experience on which she drew last week at regionals.

Scavo opened play in the Cle Elum (Wash.) Regional with a career-low round of 67. She had four pars and four bogeys in an even-par round of 72 the following day. That put her in solid position entering the final round – situations she hasn't always taken best advantage of over her career, she acknowledged.

But rather than wilt under the pressure, Scavo stepped up with a bogey-free round of 70, clinching her spot at nationals.

"Everything just felt kind of surreal," Scavo said. "You know, you just kind of realize, all this stuff that made me nervous in the past? I'm just lucky to be here and lucky to play on a college team, for great coaches. That's the difference between freshman year and senior year – you start to realize that not every shot, at the end of the day, matters. Look at the big scheme of things. Don't beat yourself up."

Scavo is slight of build and exudes a calm demeanor, hardly an intimidating presence on first sight. But she's not to be underestimated. UO coach Derek Radley described her career-low opening round of regionals as "fearless," which probably isn't the first adjective to jump to mind when someone sees Scavo – until she starts swinging a golf club, that is.

Prior to a round, Scavo listens to Christian music to keep herself calm, she said. On the course, she wants an uncluttered mind, one that doesn't dwell on shots to come, or shots already taken.

But when she address the ball? It's time to attack.

"I tell myself, swing aggressively and don't be timid," Scavo said. "Where I've gone wrong in the past is being timid; trying to force things, or overthinking. Some of the great pros say, when they're under pressure, they just swing as hard as they can. You can't really go wrong if you just go out there and stay relentless. Let it fly."

Scavo said Radley's assistant coach, Monica Vaughn, has helped her tap into a new level of competitiveness. When Vaughn was a college senior in 2017, she took home both the individual and team titles for Arizona State. From Vaughn, Scavo said she's learned not to shy away from high expectations, but instead to embrace them, and aggressively chase them.

That attitude paid off for Scavo at regionals, earning her a spot in the NCAA Championships this weekend. And it also helped determine her future plans, once she's done playing.

First, Scavo plans to enter competitive amateur events this summer, before going to qualifying school in August. But whenever she's done playing, she now plans to become a coach, something that wasn't always on her bucket list.

But playing under Radley and Vaughn this year, after three years under former coach Ria Scott and her staff, changed Scavo's perspective.

"I've actually been very fortunate that I've gotten two sets of coaches, and been able to see their styles and learn from them," Scavo said. "I've really had a lot of respect for them and what they do, and how they're able to develop players both on and off the course. And I've just realized that's something that I really want to do in my future."

First, though, there's this week's NCAA Championships, and the chance for Scavo to end her college career with a bang, just as she's dreamed.

"I really wanted to go with my team as a senior, and that was upsetting," Scavo said. "But at the end of the day, I want to represent them well and represent the hard work we all put in together this year. Because at the end of the day, it was a team effort."

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Players Mentioned

Kathleen Scavo

University of Oregon Athletics