Building a Legacy: How Xavier Women's Golf Prepared Two Standouts for the LPGA Tour
By Ellie DeBrunner
CINCINNATI- The pressure of competing in an LPGA Tour event can be intimidating, but for former Xavier University golf teammates Emma McMyler and Madison Reemsnyder, the first couple of days of playing at the Kroger Queen City Championship felt like a blast from the past.
For Reemsnyder, making her first LPGA start is a pivotal moment that is just the beginning of her professional career. Having a familiar face in her pairing definitely put her at ease. Before they even hit the opening tee shot, McMyler made sure to offer the sponsor invitee some advice, telling Reemsnyder to enjoy the experience and to remember she earned her spot in the field.
“Playing with Emma was so awesome,” Reemsnyder said. “It was comforting, especially in my first LPGA event. I've always looked up to her, so seeing how she navigates the course, how she approaches it, it was awesome just seeing her play as well.”
McMyler, who has already started to navigate the world of professional women’s golf, was just as thrilled to reconnect with her former teammate.
“I hadn't played with her for a little while, so it was great to have a fellow friend playing my tee time with,” she said. “She played great out there. I know for her first start she did amazing, and I hope she enjoyed every second of it because not many people get to do this. She should be proud of her performance.”
Madison Reemsnyder’s path to the LPGA tee box this week can’t be described in any other way other than a whirlwind. Just a few days earlier, her focus was entirely locked into her final collegiate postseason and helping her team try to advance past regionals.
"At the start of this week I was very focused on regionals and only regionals because our goal was to get out," Reemsnyder said. "Playing on the team in the collegiate environment is a little bit different. So then when I came here I was kind of focused more on my individual game and just approaching the course how I would."
It was impossible to deny the psychological and physical toll Reemsnyder faced, as the tournament rounds marked her sixth consecutive 18-hole day. To help manage the fatigue and calm her nerves, she leaned on another familiar Xavier connection by having her teammate, Darrelyn, as her caddie.
"I knew that I wanted someone that would calm me down and comfort me, and having Darrelyn on the bag, she also knows this course just as well,” Reemsnyder said. “So having a caddie that knows me well and knows this course was really key for me in my first event."
Playing in Cincinnati also means a massive wave of local support for the Big East standouts.
Crowds lined the ropes, chanting, "Let's go, X!" to cheer on the Musketeer legacy. While the sudden rush of hometown fans brings a surge of adrenaline, it also provides a sense of peace. Reemsnyder said seeing family, teammates, and friends along the ropes ultimately kept her calm and in the zone.
For McMyler, staying anchored to her routine was the key as she returned to a place that feels like a second home.
“I think for me it was just important to go back to my game plan and know it's just golf at the end of the day. It's my job. So just focusing on myself and knowing that the extra support is deserved. We have earned that support. It's because everyone believes in us, so just treating it like any other event and just trying to have fun.”
The success of both players highlights the steady rise of the Xavier women's golf program.
McMyler credited former head Coach Breanna Jenco for laying the foundation.
"She really built this program from the ground up and had a lot of recruits come in that were having the same mindset and really goal-oriented to kind of win Big East championships, get to regionals, and hopefully eventually one of these teams can get out of the regionals and make it to nationals as a team," McMyler said. "It shows the ethics and the hard work that we have as the program, and I know that the coach now will continue to do so."
Reemsnyder echoed McMyler’s words, adding that current Coach Stephanie Young has continued to build and add to the already established culture.
"I think over the course of however many years we keep climbing and we keep getting closer to nationals and our ranking keeps dropping," Reemsnyder said. "So I think it is the recruits and it is the culture that we have. We're very disciplined and we support each other, but we also have a lot of fun."
Despite the high-stakes environment of Division I and professional golf, both players admitted the simple camaraderie of college life is what they value most.
"I think going out to eat. Just hanging out really," Reemsnyder said of what she will miss. "We practice and we're in the zone here at Mak and while we're at tournaments, but being away from golf is the most fun part. They're my best friends. Since we are college athletes it's hard to branch out and spend time with other people who have different schedules, so we are together so much. They're my best friends and I'll miss them the most."
"The thing I probably miss the most is just having teammates, having that team atmosphere," McMyler said, looking back with nostalgia. "When you're out on the road as a pro it's only you. So I kind of miss that team aspect. And like Maddie said, the dinners are what makes it the most fun. Like after rounds just going to dinner together or having meals and just spending the time with the teammates that you know love you and you love them."
As both players continue to pave their own paths in the golf world, their week in Cincinnati served as a reminder of where they started, the bond they share and the bright future ahead for Xavier golf and themselves.
