University of North Texas Athletics
Cox Set For Q-School Debut With Akers On The Bag
8/18/2021 9:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. - Lauren Cox played her decorated five-year career at North Texas with aspirations of becoming a professional golfer on her mind.
On Thursday in California, the Mean Green graduate, who wrapped up her collegiate career in May as the most accomplished golfer in program history, will begin her journey to earning status on the Symetra Tour and eventually, if all goes well, the LPGA Tour.
Adding a special twist to the start of Cox's journey to becoming a professional, another person with a decorated five-year stint - and counting - at North Texas will be her caddy for the event, as UNT head coach Michael Akers is in California to be by his former player's side over the course of the weekend.
Cox first mentioned the idea to Akers in the spring after the idea was planted in her head by one of her mentors, Sarah Young, who leads a nationwide college women's golf Bible study.
"Along with the weekly Zoom Bible study, (Young's) also shared her knowledge and past experiences at Q-School with me," Cox said. "We talked about how great it would be to have my coach there with me through it all."
The process Cox is set to begin Thursday en route to Tour status is a long one, but in simple terms, Thursday begins Stage I, which is a four-day event with a cut to the top 125 golfers and ties after the third day. The first three days are played on three different courses. Cox will start on the Mission Hills Country Club Pete Dye Course in Rancho Mirage, California. The other two courses are the Dinah Shore Course and Shadow Ridge Golf Club in Palm Desert, California. The fourth day will have all golfers playing the same course. Making that initial cut would guarantee Cox partial Symetra Tour status. After Day 4, a top percentage of the finishers advance to Stage II, which is scheduled for Oct. 21-24 in Venice, Florida, and the process repeats itself. Those that advance from Stage II advance to the LPGA Q-Series, which is over two weekends in December at the famed Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama. Before the Q-Series begins, Cox would have to turn professional, but right now, she's remaining an amateur to have more opportunities to play in the fall. A minimum of the top 45 finishers at the Q-Series and ties receive LPGA Tour status, while the rest get Symetra Tour status.
"I'm so happy that Coach Akers could come out and caddy for me at Stage I," Cox said. "He knows my game the most since he's been my coach for the past five years. Most importantly, he's a familiar face and will hopefully ease some of the nerves."
Akers said he is honored to have the chance to caddy for the player who played such a large role in the program's ascent to national prominence over the past five years. Cox set numerous program records by the time her career ended, including career scoring average (74.18), career birdies (349)Â and single-season scoring average (72.26). She was the first player in program history to earn first-team All-Conference USA honors and ended up doing it three times after earning second-team honors as a sophomore.
"It is very exciting to see Lauren tee it up this week at LPGA Q-School," Akers said. "She has done a great job preparing for this event, including traveling over to Palm Springs in late July to get extra practice rounds in. The most important things this week for her will be to stay hydrated as the temperatures will be over 100 degrees each day. In my opinion, she also needs to smile and have fun."
No matter what happens at Stage I this weekend, Cox is set to return to her alma mater to serve as a volunteer assistant coach under Akers, and is expected to serve as his only assistant for at least the first two events of the fall season.
"I'm really excited for the opportunity to help coach and the team this year any way I can," Cox said. "I'm also really excited to watch them play this year."
On Thursday in California, the Mean Green graduate, who wrapped up her collegiate career in May as the most accomplished golfer in program history, will begin her journey to earning status on the Symetra Tour and eventually, if all goes well, the LPGA Tour.
Adding a special twist to the start of Cox's journey to becoming a professional, another person with a decorated five-year stint - and counting - at North Texas will be her caddy for the event, as UNT head coach Michael Akers is in California to be by his former player's side over the course of the weekend.
Cox first mentioned the idea to Akers in the spring after the idea was planted in her head by one of her mentors, Sarah Young, who leads a nationwide college women's golf Bible study.
"Along with the weekly Zoom Bible study, (Young's) also shared her knowledge and past experiences at Q-School with me," Cox said. "We talked about how great it would be to have my coach there with me through it all."
The process Cox is set to begin Thursday en route to Tour status is a long one, but in simple terms, Thursday begins Stage I, which is a four-day event with a cut to the top 125 golfers and ties after the third day. The first three days are played on three different courses. Cox will start on the Mission Hills Country Club Pete Dye Course in Rancho Mirage, California. The other two courses are the Dinah Shore Course and Shadow Ridge Golf Club in Palm Desert, California. The fourth day will have all golfers playing the same course. Making that initial cut would guarantee Cox partial Symetra Tour status. After Day 4, a top percentage of the finishers advance to Stage II, which is scheduled for Oct. 21-24 in Venice, Florida, and the process repeats itself. Those that advance from Stage II advance to the LPGA Q-Series, which is over two weekends in December at the famed Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama. Before the Q-Series begins, Cox would have to turn professional, but right now, she's remaining an amateur to have more opportunities to play in the fall. A minimum of the top 45 finishers at the Q-Series and ties receive LPGA Tour status, while the rest get Symetra Tour status.
"I'm so happy that Coach Akers could come out and caddy for me at Stage I," Cox said. "He knows my game the most since he's been my coach for the past five years. Most importantly, he's a familiar face and will hopefully ease some of the nerves."
Akers said he is honored to have the chance to caddy for the player who played such a large role in the program's ascent to national prominence over the past five years. Cox set numerous program records by the time her career ended, including career scoring average (74.18), career birdies (349)Â and single-season scoring average (72.26). She was the first player in program history to earn first-team All-Conference USA honors and ended up doing it three times after earning second-team honors as a sophomore.
"It is very exciting to see Lauren tee it up this week at LPGA Q-School," Akers said. "She has done a great job preparing for this event, including traveling over to Palm Springs in late July to get extra practice rounds in. The most important things this week for her will be to stay hydrated as the temperatures will be over 100 degrees each day. In my opinion, she also needs to smile and have fun."
No matter what happens at Stage I this weekend, Cox is set to return to her alma mater to serve as a volunteer assistant coach under Akers, and is expected to serve as his only assistant for at least the first two events of the fall season.
"I'm really excited for the opportunity to help coach and the team this year any way I can," Cox said. "I'm also really excited to watch them play this year."
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
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