Maria Hoyos ’23 knows that being a golf champion is more than just hitting the perfect shot.
Before joining the Fighting Knights golf team at Lynn University, Hoyos, a native of Pereira, Colombia, was captivated by the sport as an eight-year-old when her father, a passionate golf player, introduced her to the game. Playing for fun with her family and practicing at the golf range eventually led her to understand and share her father’s passion for the sport. Inevitably, it placed her in a position to make a life-changing sacrifice.
Far from home
Bishop’s Gate Golf Academy in Orlando, Florida, recruited Hoyos and offered a full scholarship. With full support from her family, Hoyos left her beloved country as a 16-year-old teenager to pursue a career as a professional golf player. Hoyos is grateful to her family for all the sacrifices that they made for her.
“It’s important for athletes to always have people in their corner because it truly makes a big difference,” said Hoyos.
In 2021, Hoyos committed to Lynn’s golf team while pursuing her master’s degree in business administration. Walking through the beautiful, often sunny campus reminded her of her small hometown in the city of Pereira, which she describes as “a welcoming town where it feels like everyone knows each other and can form long-lasting friendships.” Hoyos also felt comfortable attending a university that offered a broad cultural representation, allowing her to make friends from around the world.
Despite her history of success as a golf player, she soon faced her greatest challenge as a student-athlete …
A different approach
Like many athletes, Hoyos placed immense pressure on herself throughout her golf career to overcome challenges and succeed. These high expectations, coupled with a perfectionist mind frame, held her back from executing and enjoying the sport she grew up loving.
Hoyos realized she had to make a mental change if she wanted to be great. During matches, she started letting go and not allow a bad shot to determine the outcome of her overall performance. Hoyos credits her strong mentality as the catalyst for change during her last season at Lynn.
“Letting go is the best course of action,” said Hoyos. “How you react to moments of stress will determine the outcome.”
This positive mindset elevated her game and validated her position as a high-caliber athlete. On the last day of Nationals, Coach Keith Larson officially announced that Hoyos won the PING Women’s Golf Association (WGCA) Division II Player of the Year award. In addition, Hoyos earned WGCA First Team All-American honors, she was a WGCA All-South Region first-team honoree, the 2023 Sunshine State Conference Golfer of the Year with First-Team All-SSC honors and was also a Honda DII Athlete of the Year finalist. With her new mentality for the game and support from her teammates, she felt on top of the world. “It was a great season for me and the whole team. My season at Lynn was a perfect way to end my career as a collegiate athlete.”
The top-ranked women’s golf team had a successful season, capturing the NCAA South Region and Sunshine State Conference titles and closing the season as NCAA National semifinalists.
“Our team was in sync on the course as well as off the course,” said Hoyos. “Waking up at 5 a.m. on meet days, daily practices and hanging out at the cafeteria before classes made us grow close. We were family.”
Hoyos valued the time with her teammates—who were all international students—and the connections they created when they felt homesick and missing their families throughout the season.
“Golf is such an individual sport that helps you learn to play for other people. I’m really thankful that I got to experience that at Lynn,” said Hoyos.
Hoyos believes that Keith Larson—promoted to head coach earlier in the year—played a pivotal role in the team’s victories. “He was a motivational and supportive presence for the team,” said Hoyos. “He wanted us to succeed and was always there when we needed him.”
What’s next?
Hoyos graduated with an MBA in business administration in May and reflected on all the memories she created at the university. Some of her favorite highlights at Lynn included attending different sporting events while Lynn's mascot Lance cheered in the stands, working on presentation skills in her business classes and making new friendships along the way.
In August, Hoyos started the demanding process of playing professional golf. As she makes a name for herself in the professional ranks, she takes her childhood passion for the sport with her, the support of her family, the lessons she learned at Lynn as an athlete and her personal motto to prepare for big games:
“Control the controllable and you have free will. Your mind can control everything.”
