A Tale Of Resilience And Championship Glory

The Texas State women's golf team recently won their fifth Sun Belt Conference title – first since 2016 – and will head to the NCAA Regional in Bryan-College Station on May 6-8. In the realm of collegiate golf, where every stroke counts towards the team’s results and every swing holds the potential of victory or defeat, the results-focused outcome fail to capture the story of the person swinging the club.

This year’s Sun Belt Conference championship was decided on the putter of Junia Gabasa. She sank a par putt on the 16th hole to win the hole in match play and clinch her match against Georgia Southern’s Haley Yerxa. The result gave the Bobcats a 3-0 win over the Eagles for the conference title.

Following the championship-clinching putt, Gabasa walked over to her teammate Matilda Svahn and embraced her while beginning to cry. The release of emotions with her longtime college teammate after the culminating moment represented the different feelings for Gabasa at that time. The soon-to-be-graduate from Mandaue City in the Philippines has experienced her fair share of ups and downs in her collegiate career.

For Gabasa, golf isn't just a game—it's a lifelong passion that began when she first picked up a golf club at the age of five. Inspired by her sister who played golf at Vanderbilt (2011-2015), both represent the Philippines national team.

Throughout her four years at Texas State, Gabasa has notched some of her greatest sporting achievements and has all the qualities a student athlete requires.

She participated in the conference championship tournament in three out of the last four years where she achieved top-seven finishes in each. Last year, Gabasa shot her personal scoring record of 65 at the ICON Invitational in Houston. This year, in the same tournament, she finished tied for sixth in a high-quality field and posted her best 54-hole score (207).

As well as an amazing performer on the golf course, Gabasa is also excellent in the classroom. An industrial engineering major, she was determined to do whatever it took to achieve this from the start.

“She is very academically motivated,” said Par Nilsson, Texas State head women’s golf coach.

Gabasa was due to start Texas State in the fall of 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic made things complicated. Due to the restrictions, Gabasa was not able to be physically present in the United States for her first semester as a freshman.

Despite this obstacle, Gabasa and Nilsson worked together to find a way.

“She had to take a math class, live online,” said Nilsson. “It was 2 pm here meaning it was 2 am in the Philippines with the time difference. Here’s this freshman with a 2 am math class, but she got it done.”

Gabasa learned how to handle adversity and juggle her college career while representing her country at the world amateur.

“Junia kept getting picked to represent her country,” said Nilsson. “This meant that I would play my freshman a lot while she was gone, I thought it was a win-win.”

Balancing these demands of a challenging major, constantly flying overseas to represent her country during a busy semester, continuing to show up to practice and class and still trying to compete for Texas State, it is fair to say that Gabasa has had a lot on her plate.

Moreover, Gabasa has had to constantly manage and push through injuries, specifically some complicated problems with her left arm, shoulder, elbow and wrist. Working through the pain has been a big part of it. Coaches and trainers have learned how to manage and help Gabasa.

“It’s impressive how tough she has been,” said Nilsson. “A lot of people don’t know that you also have to work through the pain in golf, too, and I appreciate a player who wants to do that.”

It was the obstacles that she faced that fueled her fire and determination. Being chosen to represent her country is an incredible achievement, but it meant she had to make sacrifices to her collegiate career.

“If I don't get to play, it doesn't make me any less of a better player,” said Gabasa when asked how she felt missing fall competitions due to flying overseas. “I still believe I am good.”

Several factors aided her in maintaining focus and persevering through challenging times when it felt difficult to maintain one's confidence.

As an athlete, especially in college, it is not uncommon to face obstacles. It is how you handle them and choose to deal with them that matters. The way that Gabasa chose to deal with them was in the way of a true champion.

Although it may seem that Gabasa’s life revolves around her sport, she speaks humbly to how she has learnt to not let it define her.

“There is more to life than golf. I am more than just golf,” said Gabasa.

One of the biggest things Gabasa speaks to is the improvement of her mental game. Nilsson is a big believer in the mental side of the game and describes himself as more “new school” rather than “old school” in his approach to coaching.

“When I worked at Denver, I did a masters in sports psychology,” said Nilsson. “I would say it’s 90 percent mental, and the mental part for Junia has been big.”

It takes a team as well. Assistant coach Kelly Welker and Texas State’s sport psychologist Dr. Emily Cabano have also played a big part in the improvement of Gabasa’s game.

“It’s been a lot of teamwork,” said Nilsson when asked the approach taken to the mental side of the game for Gabasa.

In the world of sports, it seems that things often come full circle and this is also part of Gabasa’s story. Nilsson attempted to recruit Gabasa out of high school while he was the assistant coach at Oklahoma State. Gabasa went to Wellspring Christian Family School in Maryalnd.

“When I got this job at Texas State, I went to see her in Missouri where she was competing in a tournament and it all happened pretty fast,” said Nilsson. “She was one of the first players I recruited here. We started together.”

A coach plays a huge role in the journey as a student-athlete and a healthy, trustworthy relationship between player and coach is important for success.

Nilsson’s emphasis on the mental game urged Gabasa to trust her instincts and embrace the journey, regardless of the outcome.

“Growing up, golf revolved a lot around technique and was very result- and swing-oriented,” said Gabasa. “Coach Par focuses more on the mental side of things which I really like.”

Being able to focus on something besides her technique has played a huge part and contributed to Gabasa’s achievements.

“Coach Par made me love the game more,” said Gabasa cheerfully.

Through her grit and determination and her phenomenal approach to handling any adversity thrown her way, she showed her worth and shined bright at the Sun Belt Conference Championships where she brought the trophy home for Texas State.

“I had a feeling I would be the winning point,” said Gabasa when asked about the thoughts going through her head in the final moments. “I was definitely nervous but in the second match, I was more in the zone than I had ever been the whole tournament.”

The Bobcats had come close to a championship the previous years. In 2023, they finished runners up to ULM in the second playoff hole. As an individual, Gabasa placed tied for third.

In the moments following the winning putt this year, Gabasa found Svahn.

“That moment meant a lot, I just thought, we finally did it,” said Gabasa happily. “Matilda has been there all three times I’ve played conference, so we both know that feeling (of relief and joy).”

Through her entire collegiate career, Gabasa kept the faith which led her, and the Bobcats to their first team conference title in eight years. She trusted that her time would come even when circumstances proved difficult and seeing herself as something bigger than golf aided her ability to just keep going.

Gabasa said there were several factors that helped her along the way. Her family, coaches and teammates – all who had her back. Her ability to see golf as more of a mental game than a physical game.

Gabasa’s approach is admirable and inspiring. She has become a role-model to other athletes, not just in her phenomenal golfing ability but also her fierce approach to challenges.

Following graduation, Gabasa plans to continue playing golf at the amateur level with aspirations to turn professional in the future. But as her journey has so far taught her, her next steps will not be defined by one result or thing.

“My identity isn't just in sports,” said Gabasa. “I know that there is more to life than golf and I am more than just golf.”