AOTW: Michigan State’s Meier continues to impress on golf course

TO THE NEXT LEVEL: Christine Meier of Rochester hills, a current golfer at Michigan State, chips this shot out of the bunker during play at the recent Michigan Women's Amateur. Meier won the event, the latest in a long list of accomplishments for the former Michigan Miss Golf. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

ROCHESTER HILLS — Challenge Christine Meier and she’ll eventually rise to the occasion. Put her in the position to win and she’ll at least compete.

After all, her resume is stacked with impressive wins and top-10 finishes.

The Rochester Hills resident and sophomore-to-be at Michigan State has had quite a productive career that keeps getting better each time she picks up her driver. She is only 20 years old with her most consistent and best golf still yet to come.

By her own estimates, she has come a long ways since her high school days at Rochester High School, where she put together one of the more successful careers at the prep level in state history.

“I definitely feel I’ve improved a lot just in just knowing what I need to do to take my game to another level,” smiled Meier. “(Michigan State coach Stacy Slobodnik) and I have worked on this the entire year and felt it was crucial going into my sophomore year for me to be hitting more greens. I’ve just been working my butt off trying to hit my irons solidly. I hope it carries into the (college) season.”

Meier’s latest accomplishment came this past week. Competing the Final Four of the Michigan Women’s Amateur for the third year in a row, Meier captured the crown last Friday at Prestwick Village Country Club in Highland Township near Milford. She defeated Big Ten rival Sarah Bauer (University of Michigan) of Grand Blanc by a 1-Up score.

Last year she lost to former Michigan State teammate Natalie Brehm in the finals and lost in the semifinals in 2009 just before her senior year of high school.

Meier was a dominant player in high school. Over her four-year varsity career, she never finished out of the top 10 in a tournament. She was named the state’s Miss Golf in the fall of 2009 — one of five Rochester High School students to gain state athlete of the year in a two-year period — after leading her team to the Division 1 state championship for the second year in a row. She was also the D-1 state medalist that year and was a four-time All-State player.

Meier was also named to the Super Eight Dream Team both her junior and senior year and wound up at Michigan State and was All-State first Team alongside her sister, Amy Meier (Ohio State) as a freshman and sophomore. She shined in dozens of junior tournaments during middle school and high school years to enter the college game as a high-level prospect.

“I made it to the semis my first year and the finals and ended up losing,” said Meier of her performance at the Michigan Women’s Amateur. “I want to take the next step.”

With her sophomore college season only a month on the horizon, things are taking shape for the 6-foot Meier, who has shown vast improvements in recent months. Perhaps she is ready to take the next step and become one of the top golfers in the Big Ten — and beyond.

This past school year as a true freshman, Meier played in nine of 12 events for MSU, fifth most on her team. She averaged 76.82 in tournaments with her best round being a 70 at the Lady Buckeyes Invitational, where she tied for fourth in the three-round tournament.

She was humbled at other tournaments during her freshmen season, finishing as low as 56^th at both the NCAA East Regional and NCAA Fall Preview and 70^th at the Bryan Invitational. Meier doesn’t plan on those type of finishes becoming a trend during her final three years of eligibility.

“I have been hitting a ton of greens lately,” said Meier. “That is definitely something I have been working on all summer to improve on. It is finally paying off.”

At the collegiate level, tournaments are much different, as they often consist of two 18-hole rounds in one day, plus 2-4 days of competition for each tournament. As a freshman, Meier also finished 10^th at the Central District Invitational (72-77-70—219), 28^th at the Mary Fossum Invitational (81-78-76—235), 29^th at the Regional Challenge (79-71-78—228) and 32^nd at the Big Ten Conference Championships (83-79-76-72—310).

“It’s a lot more difficult,” admitted Meier of college golf. “The courses are tougher and the competition is great. Everyone is a good player. I love it.”

Out of the high school and college circuit, Meier was named the 2009 Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Player of the Year after a string of impressive showings at several summer tournaments. She won the 18th annual GAM Women’s Championship in August, 2009, tied for fifth in the USGA Women’s Open local qualifying at Walnut Hills Country Club to advance to sectionals, and also participated in the 2009 U.S. Women’s Public Links Championship among numerous other accomplishments.

Meier will play in the Hooters Challenge later this month, a dual tournament where you pair up with a college teammate.

“I’m going to go down there and play with (Michigan State’s) Lindsey McPherson. We’ll have two other MSU girls playing in it as well,” said Meier. “It’s (another tune-up) for the college season.”

“I need to get some points to get (GAM) Player of the Year, get that again this year,” continued Meier, who won the award in 2009 while still in high school. “I need to keep playing (consistent) golf.

“I’m really looking forward to my sophomore season and to see how much I have improved,” concluded Meier.

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