As a small child growing up in rural Mississippi, Amanda Mathis had to search for things to fulfill her interests. While playing the same games and doing ordinary activities as any other youngster, Mathis also found that she possessed an extraordinary talent in an unordinary game for a young girl.
It was the game of golf that found its way into the life of Mathis and is the reason why she finds herself as a collegiate golfer.
“I used to follow my dad around when he played golf,” Mathis said. “We lived in the country, and we had a big field behind our house where he would hit golf balls. My dad cut one of his clubs in half and put a grip on the end so I could hit with him. Eventually he bought me a junior set of clubs and my interest grew from there.”
Mathis continued to play golf growing up, getting better and better. At Picayune High School, her list of golf accomplishments began to grow. In 2001, Mathis won the Exxon BFI Future Tour Championship and took eighth at the 2001 American Junior Golf Association Nationals.
In 2002, Mathis captured the Mississippi Women’s Amateur Championship and the Mississippi Girls Junior Amateur Championship. As a senior in 2003, Mathis finished runner-up at the 4A State High School Championships becoming only the second female to win medalist honors at the co-ed event.
Considered one of Mississippi’s best golfers coming out of high school, Mathis chose MSU to continue her playing career as well as her education.
“I wanted to play golf at Mississippi State because of coach (Christi) Sanders,” she said. “She is effective with what she does, she is fun to be around and is just a great person.”
Mathis made an immediate impact as a freshman at MSU. She finished in the top five of the first three collegiate events including two runner-up finishes. As a sophomore last season, she was named to the all-Southeastern Conference second team and to the National Golf Coaches Association Academic All-American team.
So far this fall, Mathis has led MSU in all three tournaments and finished in the top five in every event that MSU has played. Mathis finished second at the Wildcat Invitational, followed by a third-place finish at the Lady Paladin Invitational. She leads MSU in stroke average with a 73.58 and has carded a team best four rounds of par or better.
While Mathis continues to make strides on the golf course, she also finds a way to excel in the classroom.
She holds a 3.88 GPA as a junior communication major while also playing golf.
“It’s tough to play golf and do well in school because of all of the classes I miss,” Mathis said. “We miss two days of school every time we play and that can add up when you play in 10 or 11 tournaments every year. You have to stay on top of things and motivate yourself to get everything done.”
Mathis not only makes an impact on the golf course and in the classroom, she also possesses a great personality.
“She is one of the happiest people I know,” Mathis’ teammate Ashleigh Korzack said. “She is always having a good time regardless of what we are doing. On the course she is amazing. She has a great short game and has the ability to make a great shot from wherever she hits it.”
Sanders also knows that Mathis has made a big impact on the team and is vital to its success.
“Amanda is definitely the leader of this team,” Sanders said. “She is coming off a sophomore season where she was named MVP of the team. She is not only a strong player on the course, she is also a great teammate as well. She brings so much to the team, and she means a lot to us.”
As a leader, Mathis knows that this year’s squad has the potential to be something special. The Lady Bulldogs have finished in the top five of four events this fall, including a second place finish at the Lady Paladin Invitational.
“We have to play one day at a time,” Mathis said. “We just have to play the best we can, and if we do that I think we should be able to make regionals and qualify for nationals.”
As far as long term goals after college, Mathis said she has nothing in mind except golf.
“I hope to give professional golf a try,” Mathis said. “I know I want to stay in the golf world regardless if I am playing or not.”
In her pursuit of that dream, Mathis highlighted one aspect of playing collegiate golf that could help land her right where she wants.
“The one thing that I will take from playing college golf is the networking I have been able to do. I have gotten to meet so many people over the last three years, and it has been a blast. I have made some connections that could help professionally, and I have made some good friends through relationships that are priceless.”
From childhood to life in college, golf has been an important part of life Mathis. What started as a hobby in her backyard could eventually turn into a profession.
However, for the next year and a half, Mathis will also be accomplishing things in the classroom and in the lives of others at Mississippi State.