KENNESAW, G.A. – Ask Kennesaw State women’s golf coach Rhyll Brinsmead to describe recent Owl graduate Ines Lescudier in three words and it takes the Australian coach a couple moments to decide on just three of the numerous words she could use.
After a beat, Brinsmead answers with tenacious, intelligent and fun.
“Once Ines sets her mind on something, she is going to get it done or she is going to find a way to get it done,” said Brinsmead. “Not only did she get straight A’s in the classroom, but she is intelligent in life and is one of the smartest players on the golf course that the coach has ever been around. And she is one of the most enjoyable student-athletes I have been around. She had so many good days on the golf course, at practice and in the van, particularly the last two years that she had the ability to make everyone else feel better about what was going on.”
Lescudier wrapped up her four-year collegiate career in May, leaving a legacy of both team and individual success during her time as an Owl with Atlantic Sun Conference Championships and NCAA Regional appearances bookending her time at Kennesaw State.
Her career stroke average of 74.43 set the program record, while the Marsielle, France native’s senior season stroke average of 73.50 stands as the lowest single-season scoring average in KSU history.
One of the most decorated student-athletes at KSU, Lescudier was a four-time All-Atlantic Sun Conference selection, including twice being named to the A-Sun First-Team, as well as taking home A-Sun Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors after earning medalist honors at the 2012 conference tournament championship.
It was at that 2012 Atlantic Sun Conference Championship that Lescudier first realized her potential beyond just collegiate golf.
“I actually came to the U.S. because I was not sure what I wanted to do. I knew it would be in golf, but I was not sure if I wanted to play or to coach. My first two years at KSU I played pretty well, but the main thing was when I won conference as a sophomore with seven birdies in a row and I realized I actually had the potential to play professionally.”
Since then, she has worked to prepare herself for that next step, including representing her home country of France in the European Ladies Team Championship, held earlier this month in at the Helsingor Golf Club in Helsingor, Denmark. Lescudier’s championship streak continued as she sank the winning putt on the final hole of the tournament to send Team France home with the gold medal, the first of Lescudier’s career.
“Playing for KSU was always a good experience for me, but playing for your country is a different atmosphere and has a different pride to it.”
“When we talked at first before going to Denmark, all of us said our goals and I said ‘I am the only one that does not have a gold medal here, so I am definitely hoping to get one before I turn professional.’ They were all laughing about it, but at the end when I made that winning putt, they told me ‘you got that gold medal by yourself’ and ‘it was all on you and we are very proud of you’. So that was definitely a great experience and probably one of my most emotional putts ever, but I am glad to finish my amateur career like that.”
Lescudier hopes to build off that momentum as she embarks on her professional career, starting with a move to California for the SunCoast Ladies Tour, a developmental golf tour to help prepare for LGPA Qualifying School. She will then turn her attention to Stage I of Q School, which will be held onAugust 3-9, 2015 at Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Though no matter where she ends up, Lescudier knows she will keep Kennesaw State and her Owl family close to heart.
“I will definitely keep in mind that Kennesaw State was my first step before going professional. I would still love to practice here for a few years and stay in touch with coach and my team. And I want the Kennesaw State logo on my golf bag when I turn professional.”