Teeing off: L.A. is no longer foreign to Moffat
By Daily Bruin Staff
Feb. 21, 2001 9:00 p.m.
 UCLA Sports Information Senior Laura
Moffat, who came to UCLA after learning her sport in
Scotland, hopes to lead the Bruins to a strong finish this
season.
By Michelle Coppolella
Daily Bruin Contributor
It may seem overwhelming to be a foreigner in the metropolis of
Los Angeles, the fast-paced city of lights that contains one of the
most extraordinarily diverse populations in the world and hears
opportunity knocking on a daily basis.
OK, it doesn’t just seem overwhelming ““ it is
overwhelming.
Now imagine coming to UCLA, one of the largest, most bustling
universities in the nation, and realizing that what you’ve
done best since the age of nine is done in a totally different
manner.
No, you do not call Air International and book the first flight
home so you can be back with mommy and daddy. You stick it out and
go back to the Darwinian concept of survival of the fittest.
No one on the UCLA campus can better understand this than senior
Laura Moffat, who four years ago came to Los Angeles from West
Kilbride, Scotland, to play golf for the Bruins. Not only did
Moffat have to adapt to a whole different lifestyle, but what she
did best ““ play golf ““ took on a totally different
meaning in the United States.
“I grew up playing on courses by the sea which were really
windy, and I learned a totally different way of playing,”
Moffat said. “I have had difficulty adjusting to American
turf.”
According to Moffat, the greens in the U.S. are known to be more
elevated and much more narrow, so there’s not a lot of room
for error. Not surprisingly, Moffat prefers the European playing
turf and style over than that of the Americans.
“It’s a matter of being accustomed to doing
something your way,” she said. “But I have definitely
enjoyed learning a whole new style of golf here at UCLA.”
And has she ever learned. Moffat’s golf career at UCLA has
been nothing short of incredible. Last fall, she won her first
collegiate tournament by winning a two-hole, sudden death playoff
with teammate Amanda Moltke-Leth and Hawai’i’s Melanie
Matsumura at the Wahine Rainbow Fall Classic.
Through her four years at UCLA, she’s had 10 top-20
finishes and two top-10 finishes in various tournaments. Last year,
she earned a spot on the Pac-10 All-Academic Team with a 3.3
GPA.
But Moffat’s golf play isn’t simply about rewards
and honors. Not only does Moffat serve her team with her quality
individual scores, but her demeanor creates a competitive
atmosphere for the Bruins.
“Others have to see that you are a fighter and that you
will fight for every shot,” said Head Coach Carrie Leary.
“Laura is exceptionally good at that.”
Moffat notes that the addition of Leary impacted her attitude
and especially her golf play. She finished last year with a stroke
average of 74.8 in 29 rounds, an almost six-shot improvement from
her sophomore season.
“The first two years at UCLA, I didn’t really play
well,” Moffat said. “But when coach Leary came in, it
was a fresh start and it really helped me a lot. I think that shows
in the team’s play as well.”
Not only did Moffat face challenges adapting to a new situation
on the greens, but off of them as well.
“I’ve learned how to face adversity because it was
really tough coming from another country,” she said.
“Our lifestyles are really different, but because of that
I’ve learned how to positively face a lot of different people
and situations.”
In her senior year at UCLA, Moffat still hangs onto hopes of
becoming an All-American and leaving her mark here at UCLA.
“I’m still aiming for that, and even though
I’ve been struggling these past two tournaments, I feel
I’m getting closer to the way I want to be playing,”
she said. “I’m hoping that in the next few tournaments,
I will play the way I know I can and reach my goals.”
But Moffat has other goals outside of golf. After she’s
done at UCLA, Moffat plans to continue playing, but only leisurely.
When asked about playing professionally, the senior simply said,
“Professional golf doesn’t entice me.”
Instead, she plans to return to Scotland to pursue her graduate
degree at Glasgow University, where she will study molecular
biology to become a medical researcher.
Co-captain and fellow senior Leilani Bagby admires
Moffat’s will, which she has seen on display continuously
over the past four years.
“Whether it be school, golf, or life, when she has her
mind set to do something, she is determined and will do anything to
make it happen,” Bagby said. “She’s
incredible.”
