PREP GOLF: Fairview’s Lawson signs with Mobile

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Bottom row L-R: Mobile Golf Coach TJ Jackson, Lauren Lawson, Stephanie Lawson. Top row: Mark McKelvy, Jeff Lawson, Kurt Knight. (Nick Griffin/The Cullman Tribune)

FAIRVIEW, Ala. – For the second time in two weeks, Fairview High School celebrated the next step in a standout Aggie golfer’s academic and athletic career. Lauren Lawson officially signed to play for the University of Mobile for Coach TJ Jackson and the Rams. Her teammate, Brileigh Roberts, signed to play for Wallace State earlier this month.

Fairview Head Coach Kurt Knight credits Lauren’s combination of athletic ability and work ethic for her fast rise in the sport and the opportunity she’s taking advantage of now.

“First of all, she’s an athlete. She still plays soccer and that’s been a positive for her. She didn’t start playing until a little later in life. She didn’t start very young, so she’s picked it up quick, but her work ethic is second to none,” Knight said. “She puts in the time doing everything we ask of her and she has really improved and continues to improve. That’s the biggest thing is she’s never going to stop improving. She’s constantly working to be better and just all in all she’s a solid player.”

Lawson is the second Aggie to sign a golf scholarship this month and Knight is happy to see the buzz it creates around the program for local players.

“It creates a lot of excitement,” Knight said. “We’ve had a lot of people around here sign from the guys and the girls side and I think some of the signings we’ve had before help lead these girls to where they are today so it’s a big thing anytime we can sign anyone in any sport. It’s great to see them be successful and move on to the next level.”

Lawson’s final season with the Aggies is coming up in the spring and she already has some things in mind she wants to work on this year before graduating in May and preparing to play for the Rams.

“My short game has been a big factor for me since the beginning,” Lawson said. “I finally picked up my distance when it comes to my irons and my driver and all that but now it’s really about the small details and implementing those little things in my game to get from the low 80s and high 70s down to the low 70s which is where I would definitely like to be for college.”

The University of Mobile was uniquely fit for what Lauren was looking to get out of her college career. The private, Baptist university offers exactly what she is looking for academically and is in the midst of building up its golf program as well. “They are one of the only schools in the state of Alabama that actually has an ESL (English as a Second Language) Degree. So, academically it was much better, and I’ll have a lot more opportunities there to express myself academically and spiritually. A big part of my decision was that I’m Baptist and I’m very religious so that was a big factor for me,” Lawson said. “I’ve always wanted to explore and kind of get out and see new things, experience different things and have that college experience so that was important for me too and their golf program is building up a lot right now. I’m a big supporter of building things and supporting new teams and programs and they’re really working on building their program right now. So, I’m really happy to have the opportunity to be part of that and help build that program up.”

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