At the top of her game

Mission Collegiate High golfer competes at State

 

 

 

 

Her name is Amabely “Bely” Rodriguez and she is one of the top girls’ high school golfers in the state of Texas. The fact that she was the only 5A or 6A golfer from the Valley to qualify for the UIL’s 2025-2026 Girls Golf State Championship, which was held in Georgetown, Texas on Monday and Tuesday of this week, is a testament to that fact.

 

A senior at Mission Collegiate High School, Rodriguez has been playing golf most of her life. It all began as a result of her uncle having to take her to the golf course while he played golf.

 

“I started playing golf when I was four (years old) and I’m about to turn 18 this coming Saturday so I’ve been playing about 14 years. My tio was in high school when I was four so he had to take me to the golf course where my grandmother picked me up and I would see him every day. I just ended up asking my grandma if I could play too because I liked watching him play,” Rodriguez said about how she was introduced to the sport of golf at a much younger age then most.

 

Rodriguez went on to share a rather interesting connection between her uncle and his high school coach Tony Ocaña. Ocaña is now the golf coach at Mission Veterans High School and as such is one of Rodriguez’s coaches as well.

 

Speaking of Coach Ocaña, he explained what Rodriguez had to do to qualify for the State Tournament.

 

“The way it works is that she qualified after the three (top) teams. She tied for the (individual) State qualifier #1 (spot) and lost it in a playoff, so she became State qualifier #2 at Regionals.”

 

To clarify, the top three teams at each of the four Regional Tournaments automatically qualify for the State Tournament, as do the top three individual golfers who are not on one of the three qualifying teams. The fact that she was one of only three individual golfers from Region IV to qualify for the State Tournament is a testament to how impressive what Rodriguez accomplished is.

 

Even more impressive is the fact that in the 29 years Ocaña has been coaching golf at La Joya and Mission schools, Rodriguez is only the second female golfer he has had  that qualified for the State Tournament.

 

“It’s really hard, especially when you have to compete with the San Antonio area kids.” Ocaña said.

 

 

Different golfers have different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to their golf game and Rodriguez is no different. While some have excellent swing power, they may not be accurate off the tee. Likewise, others have excellent putting skills but may not be good at hitting out of bunkers. When asked what her strengths are, Rodriguez said. “I would say my irons, which is anything that is probably inside of 120 yards. That’s just what helps me score the majority of the time. That would be it.”

 

The State Tournament was played at Legacy Hills Golf Club in Georgetown, Texas. It is a par 72 course. The 5A State Championship girls’ team was Comal Peiper with a combined two day, 36 hole score of 596. The individual State Champion was Michelle Lee from San Antonio Alamo Heights with a two day, 36 hole score of 137. Rodriguez scored 85 on both the first day and the second day for a tournament total of 170. While that score did not qualify her for any trophies, she did finish ahead of 19 other golfers whose two day, 36 hole, scores were as high as 205.

 

While golf is considered to be an individual sport for the most part, in high school teams of five golfers compete against other schools’ teams in their respective districts first with the top finishing teams within each district advancing to their respective Regional tournaments. The Mission Veterans/Collegiate High team entered the Regional Tournament as District 30-5A champions this year for the third year in a row. But as Ocaña shared, this year’s team was special.

 

“This is the best we’ve ever done because we came in about eight strokes away from going to State as a team,” Ocaña said. “We placed fourth. That was the best I’ve ever done (as a coach) in nearly 30 years. So that was awesome!”

 

Rodriguez’s commitment and dedication to the sport of golf have played a major role in what she’s accomplished during her high school career. While most people play golf as a form of recreation, when Rodriguez steps onto the course she means business.

 

“I play year-round and I practice about five out of the seven days of the week,” Rodriguez said. “So I play in school and out of school.”

 

When it comes to the great majority of high school golfers, graduation brings an end to their participation in competitive tournaments. However Rodriguez will not be putting her clubs away even though she is on the verge of graduating. That’s because she has been awarded a scholarship to play for the Texas A&M Kingsville golf team.

 

 

When asked what she is looking forward to the most about playing for the Javelinas, Rodriguez said, “I think it’s being able to go play courses out of state or just traveling more to play golf. Also, being able to see better courses and play better courses compared to the courses down here.”

 

While Rodriguez’s talent on the golf course is undeniable, Ocaña has played a big part in maximizing that talent. But he has not done it alone. He has had help in the form of an assistant coach who has played a major role in not only Rodriguez’s success, but also in the success of the Mission Veterans golf program.

 

“It’s been a collaborative effort,” Ocaña said. “And I have an assistant coach that does a wonderful job. His name is Pedro Lopez and he was part of the Mission Vets program when he was in high school. He’s just a wonderful young man. He cares a lot about the program. Today (Tuesday) he did a lot of the coaching. He’s a very good guy and I need to give him props.”

 

Speaking of props, Rodriguez has certainly earned the right to receive them. Yes, she has had the help and support of her coaches, her teammates and her family, but she has made history at Mission Collegiate and Mission Veterans High Schools by being the first to qualify for, and compete in, the State Tournament and that is not something she takes lightly.

 

“It’s a blessing to be able to represent (Mission Collegiate High School) and to be able to come out here from the Valley,” Rodriguez said. “Not a lot of people get to come out and show that they’re good enough to participate in the sport that they play in. And the fact that I was able to qualify for State will show a lot of people that anything is possible. I’m just grateful that I’ve been able to do this.”