University of Denver junior Stephanie Sherlock is already regarded as the best female golfer in school history. The native of Germany who was raised in Canada is a two-time All-American, becoming the first Pioneer to gain that status when she was a freshman in 2006-07. Last season, she captured her second straight Sun Belt Conference title and finished fifth at the NCAA Tournament, DU’s best individual result ever.
She began the season this week in Maryland, shooting a team-best 66 to lead the sixth-ranked Pioneers. Sherlock, from Barrie, Ontario, visited with Denver Post sportswriter Mike Chambers after the event:
Q: Lots of Canadian hockey players come to DU, but I suspect you’re one of few golfers to land on campus?
A: For sure, but there was one guy, James Love, who was from Calgary, and he was the No. 1 player on the team for a while before I came here. So there is one other that I know of.
Q: Your coach, Sammie Chergo, says you could have attended any school in the country on a golf scholarship. Why DU?
A: I didn’t think much of it when I got their information in the mail, but Sammie came to my house in Barrie, and then I visited, and I loved it. I love the city and the campus. It’s beautiful. I don’t think I would have come here if she didn’t come to my house.
Q: What’s up with Genny the RV?
A: Oh, my God (laughing). My dad has an RV — Genny the RV — and he drives to tournaments with a little Denver flag on it. He’ll drive it on crazy trips, like from Toronto to California. He just likes to drive.
Q: Why Genny?
A: That’s just what he calls it. I think it has something to do with the generator in it, because it kept breaking down, and he’d say, “Oh, Genny.”
Q: LPGA aspirations?
A: Yes, I’m definitely going to give it a shot after I get my degree, my priority. The first step would be the Futures Tour, and then through that I’ll hopefully make it to the LPGA. That’s the goal.
Q: I hear you’re heading to Australia soon to represent Canada in the world amateur tournament. Are you ready for that?
A: I’m a little nervous, in a good way, and excited. Just looking forward to it. You know, it’s so similar to college golf because you’re playing for your teammates, but this time it’s your country instead of your school.
Q: Whom do you like for president?
A: I can’t vote, because I’m not American, but I like Barack (Obama). He seems to be the DU special. He came to DU, which was pretty cool, and a lot of my teammates said he was fantastic.
Q: What’s the golf scene like in Barrie?
A: It was a great, great area, but not so much for golf. You couldn’t play about eight months out of the year, because of all the snow. But two of my uncles live in Florida and I played a lot of golf down there.
Q: Your best round?
A: Sixty-five, last year at our conference tournament, and Monday at our fall preview in Maryland I shot a 66. We were there after a hurricane passed through, and it was really wet. That was probably my best round ever.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
The hills are alive . . .
Stephanie Sherlock spends a lot of time on the road, so the DU golfer lists her top five movies to help kill time:
1. Sound of Music
2. Wedding Crashers
3. Titanic
4. Dirty Dancing
5. Superbad
