An improved short game is one reason Centre College senior Anika Rana won her first collegiate tournament earlier this week. (Centre College Athletics Photo)
Because her brother attended Centre College and played tennis for the Colonels, Anika Rana knew plenty about the Division III school when she decided she might want to pursue playing golf in college.
She had a successful high school career in South Carolina but was a “little late to the game” when she decided her junior year she did want to play college golf. Her brother suggested she reach out to then Centre coach Jane Hopkinson-Wood who set up a visit that led to her falling in love with the campus and how well he set up academically for her as a pre-med major.
“I also knew I wanted to go to college out of state to see a new place, so Centre just checked all the boxes for me,” the senior said.
She had been recruited by schools in South Carolina. She was the South Carolina Junior Golf Association 2020 Player of the Year when she won five tournaments after winning six of six tournaments she had played in the year before.
“I loved playing high school and junior golf but I had not really played above that level. It was kind of hard for me to get my name out there but Centre really was like the perfect choice for me,” Rana said.
She’s been part of three straight Southern Athletic Association championship teams and earned all-conference honors the last two years. She paced the team at the 2023 NCAA Division III Championship when she tied for 49th as Centre finished 14th nationally.
The senior got her first individual tournament win at Centre at the Wittenberg Fall Classic. She had consecutive rounds of 73-73 to edge teammate Grace Walker by three shots to lead the Colonels to the team title also.
Rana acknowledges college golf was a big adjustment after she was used to shooting around even par on much shorter courses in high school and junior golf.
“It was an adjustment for me having to hit longer irons into greens, getting up and down more often. I was lucky to have teammates that were really helpful and great mentors who knew how college golf was and how to help make my game better,” Rana said.
The arrival of new coach CheyAnn Knudsen last year dramatically improved Rana’s short game and why the player said she did so well at the national championship.
“I was able to be aggressive at nationals and score better than I did the previous year. The experience I had helped because I was used to the increased yardage and also understood the value of more intense practices. But the short game really helped more than anything,” she said. “Coach is so big on those up-and-downs. Even this year at Golf Week I didn’t hit a lot of greens but I was able to get up and down almost every time and save my score.
“I have never been a big hitter but I have gained a little yardage off the tee which has been nice. I did a few swing changes and that really helped get more spin on the ball to get it rolling a lot more.”
Knudsen has definitely helped Rana get her game rolling more, especially when it comes to the “fire” the coach has for winning the conference championship to earn a berth in the NCAA Championship.
Rana was one of only three Centre golfers on campus during the Centre term (in January) when other players were studying abroad. The three were lifting weights at least three times per week and when players returned to school in August the coach had immediate qualifying sessions five days in a row for team spots.
“There’s no grace period. She expects us to practice in the summer and be ready to qualify when we get back. Same thing after Centre term when she expects us to be ready for tournament golf when we are allowed to start back,” Rana said. “Coach Knudsen expects us to put that work in to be ready to go as soon as the season starts.”
Centre has a new athletics training facility that Walker says benefits the team with more weight equipment and more access to trainers. However, she hopes in the future Centre can add an improved indoor golf facility.
“That would genuinely benefit our program so much. The new facility we have is wonderful but does not really impact golf that much,” Rana said. “I really appreciate the new equipment and everything, but I do think that what we really need is a better indoor facility.
“I’m from South Carolina, so I practiced all year round, and I wasn’t used to having that time in January and February where I can’t play outside. I could tell that my game kind of deteriorated a little bit. Maybe players who are from Kentucky, that doesn’t affect them as much because they are used to it. But like for a Southern player who’s used to the warm weather all year round, it definitely did affect my game.”
