It’s All Sunshine For Mackenzie Butzer
Mackenzie Butzer – Contributed Photo
Now, it’s all sunshine for the Maple City Country Club member, who recently saw that dream fulfilled, as she committed to an NCAA Division I golf scholarship in the USA’s Sunshine State with the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats. Bethune-Cookman is located in Daytona Beach, Florida.
“This has been a life long journey for me,” says Butzer. “It’s a true dream come true. I have always dreamed about going to school in Florida on a golf scholarship since I was a little girl and it’s overwhelming and exciting.”
Butzer, an Ursuline College graduate has always been one of the areas top female golfers, but really started to turn heads last summer when she tied the Tyson Tour’s all-time record by winning the tour crown for the third time. While that was an accomplishment, her new feat has taken a little longer to sink in.
“It hasn’t sunk in that this is actually happening,” Butzer said. “It all feels like a dream.”
After tying for fourth at the Golf Association of Ontario Women’s Champion of Champions Tournament this summer, and finishing 16th at the GAO Junior Girls Championship, and 20th at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, Butzer is looking to take her game to an even higher level with the Wildcats.
“I’m looking forward to competing at a high level of golf, playing with girls from all over the world, meeting and becoming close with them and also seeing how well I can do and place in events in the conference and state events.”
To make sure she plays at the highest level possible, Butzer is setting out to continue imporving this summer, and to carry that into a successful freshman season at Bethune-Cookman.
“For the summer I hope to lower my stroke average by a stroke or two and to become more consistent with my game,” says Butzer, who plans to study Sport Management with a minor in physical education and business. “I’m only playing in a few amateur events this summer so I don’t tire myself for the busy schedule I am going into. At school my goal is to play in every tournament, considering they only allow so many players to go to a tournament and while I’m at those tournaments to play to the best of my ability. I hope to finish in the top three spots on my team for stroke average throughout my freshman year at Bethune-Cookman,” she continued.
Playing golf at the University level has been a life long goal for Butzer. Playing in the Sunshine State, that’s just icing on the cake for the young golfer.
“Living in Florida will be interesting,” says Butzer. “I definitely won’t be complaining about the weather there compared to here in the winter. I had a little taste of the Florida living while I was down there for a month. All in all it’s a very exciting thing and a great experience to do. I cannot explain in words how thrilled I am.”