Any time Kansas plays at home, people tend to think of thousands of screaming fans and Rock Chalk mania and a true advantage for the Jayhawks.
But that might not be exactly what the Kansas women’s golf team finds this week at the Marilynn Smith Invitational at Lawrence Country Club.
“We’ve got fans out there,” KU senior Lily Hirst told R1S1 Sports while previewing the event. “You don’t get the fans that you do in Allen Fieldhouse, screaming their hearts out, bleeding crimson and blue and all that, but it’s still a great advantage for us to play at home. I’ve never been in a situation where I’ve had a home advantage like this. And it’s not just the course; it’s also the fact that players’ families are coming.”
With a heavy dose of international flavor on coach Lindsay Kuhle’s 2024-25 roster, not everyone’s family will be able to make it. But a few sets of parents from the U.S. will be there, along with Heisingborg, Sweden native Anna Wallin’s parents from overseas.
The Marilynn Smith Invitational, which includes 36 holes on Monday and 18 more on Tuesday, is the only tournament played in Lawrence for either the KU men or women. The men will be at the Big 12 Match Play event in Houston this week. And the women will be hosting 11 other schools at LCC.
So, let’s get back to what all goes into a home-course advantage. Both Hirst and senior Jordan Rothman shared several things that stand out to them.
“That’s more environment and atmosphere,” Rothman said of the home-court advantage KU has at Allen Fieldhouse. “At the golf course, it’s more about the people being out there and you seeing some familiar faces and appreciating their support and being more comfortable because of it.”
Both players said Kuhle has emphasized taking advantage of that familiarity to help them throughout their rounds.
“Coach Kuhle is very big on making sure we stay grateful,” Hirst said. “Not a lot of schools get to play their home course in a tournament.”
“This doesn’t happen often. Being able to win at home, with the fans there and people supporting us, would be unbelievable." — Jordan Rothman
Between them, Hirst and Rothman have played more than 75 rounds at LCC during their time as Jayhawks. That includes five apiece last week in preparation for this event. And they’ve played it roughly every other week at least a time or two throughout their KU careers.
That kind of familiarity with the layout of the course creates a serious advantage for the Jayhawks.
“LCC is not an easy track — at all,” Rothman said. “There are so many pins that can be difficult and tee shots that you don’t want to be in certain places, and I think that the seniors who have played out there for the last three years, that’s a big advantage that we have over the other teams.”
Their intimate knowledge of how LCC plays — from tee to green — has the Jayhawks not only comfortable entering this event but also confident.
Nowhere is that confidence more important than on and around LCC’s greens.
“It’s definitely putting,” Hirst said when asked where KU might have the biggest edge. “The greens are so undulating, and I think distance control is one of the biggest factors. If you don’t hit it the right distance for the pin, you could have a 50-foot putt that breaks every direction.”
While they might not look like middle linebackers and power forwards, the two Jayhawks said they’ll have a physical advantage on most teams this week.
“LCC is just a different beast to walk,” Rothman said. “And we definitely have an advantage to where our bodies have almost adjusted to that walk.”
There’s also a decided mental advantage that the Jayhawks are hoping will play in their favor. Especially on Monday, when they’ll be out there for more than 10 hours, grinding through 36 holes of competitive golf.
“In those 10 hours, you are alone in your own head for nine-plus hours,” Rothman said. “And if you are struggling, it can be mentally draining. We kind of know where our bad stretches come in, so, if you know that, you can do whatever it takes to prepare for it ahead of time. Teams that haven’t played the course as much, they’re not gonna know when that might hit.”
Added Hirst: “Playing 36 holes out there is definitely more mental than physical. I don’t think people understand how physically demanding and mentally demanding it is.”
In addition to the Jayhawks having deep knowledge of the course this week, they’re also riding high off of a recent tournament win.
Two weeks ago, KU came from behind to win the Golfweek Red Sky Classic in Colorado, giving the program tournament victories in back-to-back years for the first time since 2012.
Both Hirst and Rothman said the best part about that victory was that no one on the KU roster thought the team played its best that week. But they appreciated the victory and believe it can also give them an edge at this week’s home event.
“Our win at Red Sky didn’t get as much recognition as our first win (last year),” Hirst said. “But we all believed that that was a better win and a bigger win because of the type of course it came on. It’s a lot like LCC. You have to be in play off the tee and the greens are very undulating. “I think that win really put our names out there — Kansas is here to play and they’re here to win. They’re not just here to compete. Kansas is known for their basketball team, but we can be a golf school, too.”
There’s no better way to show that than by winning back-to-back events.
Both Jayhawks acknowledged that playing at home does bring a little added pressure to the three-round event. But both also said that it’s good pressure and that they’re focused on tapping into all of the ways the pressure can produce their best rounds yet.
“We need to stay present,” Rothman said. “Even though we’re coming into this with the mentality to win, we can’t be thinking about that. Visualize it, yes. But you can’t be thinking about that while you’re playing.”
Instead, being grateful and appreciating the chance to play at home will be top of mind for the entire time. Look around while you’re out there. Engage with the fans. Give a wave or two. Talk to people.
“This doesn’t happen often,” Rothman said. “Being able to win at home, with the fans there and people supporting us, would be unbelievable. I just feel really good about it. There’s no better time than now. Especially as seniors.”
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