"I just love playing golf." 
    
    University of South Alabama sophomore Siti Shaari began playing golf at 6 years old. The youngest of three siblings, she traveled with her father to watch her sister compete in a junior league in Malaysia. She started practicing and began competing in tournaments at 7 years old. By the time she was 14, she made the decision to come to the U.S. to pursue college golf. 

    In May 2013, Shaari took the runner-up position in the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation European Championship at the Gullane Golf Club in Scotland. At a press conference for the next tournament in Malaysia, reporters asked the 14-year-old what she was going to do after she graduated from high school. "It just came out that I wanted to go to the U.S. to play college golf. From there, I began sending my resume to coaches."

    Her parents and two siblings backed her decision. "They supported me to keep pushing harder and applying to different schools even if the coaches never replied." Her persistence paid off, and in November 2016 she signed a National Letter of Intent with the Jaguars to join the program for the 2017-18 season. "South offered me a good scholarship. Everything here is so convenient; the golf course is five minutes away. The people here are very friendly, so that's a good thing." 

    Shaari gained experience in numerous international competitions before arriving at South Alabama on a full scholarship. She spent six weeks in Australia on a scholarship which allowed her to play international tournaments in Hong Kong and Malaysia. Scotland, however, holds a special place in her heart. "Golf was born there. I was there two and a half weeks. One week was practicing, looking around, and playing different courses. I think that's what helped me play well. I love Scotland. It's cold and windy and just perfect."

    Although she had never been to the United States before, the Malaysia native never second-guessed her decision to pack up and pursue her passion. "I was kind of worried because I didn't know the United States or what could happen to me, but I was just going to do it for myself to build some confidence and improve my golf game. College golf is good because you are earning your degree while you're playing high-level golf. You don't get the chance to do that in Malaysia." 

    Despite years of experience on the international circuit, Shaari says her first collegiate tournament was overwhelming. "I was really nervous. I didn't know what to expect. I remember the first time we got to the clubhouse. I opened the door and felt so different. I was one of the only Asians. I was scared, thinking I didn't belong here. After I played well in the tournament, I thought that it doesn't really matter what race you are or where you're born. People don't really look at that; they just look at your talent and the way you play golf."

    The two-time Sun Belt Conference Women's Golf Athlete of the Week held a 74.04 average over 28 rounds in her debut season. She earned six top-10 and two top-20 finishes in 10 events and shot 12 rounds at or below par.   

    She led the Jaguars to a 35-stroke win and picked up the first individual victory of her career with a 209 (-7) effort at the Bama Beach Bash in Gulf Shores. "I think all of us just wanted to win because it was our home tournament. We got there and thought 'We can win this.' It was a confidence boost because everyone had their own goals to achieve that week." 

    It was the lowest tournament total of her career and she ranked among the top two finishers in par-3 (2.87), par-4 (4.00) and par-5 (4.67) scoring, as well as number of birdies scored (13). 

    "I never expected to win the tournament. I was really shocked the way I played that week. It was unbelievable; I had never gotten such a good score before. I was so happy."

    After the 2017-18 season, Shaari was voted Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year. She finished fourth in the individual rankings and was the first Jaguar to receive this honor. She was also recognized as first-team all-Sun Belt after leading USA to a third-place finish in the overall conference standings. 

    "Before I came here, I set a target to be named freshman of the year. I trained really hard last year not just to get the award, but to perform well. It felt great, like all my hard work had finally paid off."

    Coaches, teammates and on-campus organizations were critical to Shaari's success in adjusting to life at South Alabama. "When I got here, Coach Matt [Luther] and Danny [Jansen] were really supportive and helped me a lot. They're really understanding. I love being here because it's not a big school; it's only about a 10-minute walk across campus." 

    She also became involved with Friends of Internationals, a group which quickly embraced her and made her feel like family. "They would push me and encourage me. I really love them and I don't know what I would do without them." Being part of this group allows Shaari to experience and learn about other cultures and interact with other international students. 

    Although she recognizes some similarities in the mix of international competitors, one difference stands out between her experience playing independently in Malaysia and at the collegiate level at USA: "In Malaysia, golf is not a big thing. In high school, I never represented my school for tournaments. Freshman year here was nice because coaches can help you in the field. Coach Luther gives support and motivates me to keep pushing myself." 

    In August, she had the opportunity to once again represent Malaysia at the World Amateur Team Championships in Maynooth, Ireland. The four-day tournament featured 57 countries competing for the Espirito Santo Trophy at Carton House. Competitors were chosen from the World Amateur Golf Rankings and the top three individuals from each country were invited. 

    Competing on such a large stage, Shaari initially felt that she was not meant to be there. One of her team captains offered some words of wisdom: "When you go to these big tournaments, don't ever feel small; feel like you deserve to be here." 

    She draws inspiration from being around highly-ranked players. "Being able to compete with them during the tournament was very exciting. I feel like I have to work harder to get to that position. It motivates me to practice more." She hopes to return and eventually be the one providing guidance to younger players.

    After an outstanding freshman year, Shaari has set high personal goals entering her sophomore season. "I've set goals for this year to make five or six top-10 and five top-3 finishes. I feel like being in that position can boost my confidence for the next tournament. Before I graduate I want to be at the NCAA tournament."  

    The Jaguars will host the USA Intercollegiate Sept. 15-17 at the Robert Trent Jones Magnolia Grove – Crossings course to open the 2018-19 season.