Alexis Lee ’28 defeats Proctor opponents in best ball match alongside playing partner Captain Heyon Choi ’25 on the final hole.
Andover: 5.5 – Proctor: 4.5
After a multi-day break from the course, All-Gender Golf returned to action on Wednesday with a challenging home match against Proctor Academy. Despite rust and difficult conditions caused by recent green aeration, the team pulled together for a hard-earned victory, continuing their strong start to the season.
Captain Heyon Choi ’25 emphasized her renewed focus going into the match. After stepping away from golf for a few days, she returned with a deliberate mindset and worked to bring precision to each stroke.
“Today, we had a good hour before we went off. I made sure I was practicing all the distances, making sure I was chipping, and making sure I had good contact with my shots. Honestly, I took like four to five days off. Today I focused on making sure that each shot I took was meaningful and reflected the intentions and the thoughts that I put behind it,” said Choi.
While the team had prepped thoroughly, the recently aerated greens added a new layer of unpredictability to the match. According to Choi, the changes made putting erratic and forced the team to adapt quickly under less-than-ideal circumstances.
“The greens were aerated yesterday, unexpectedly, and that made it hard for us to play with the accuracy that we usually have. A lot of shots just bounced in unexpected directions or didn’t roll as much. It was a pretty erratic game. On the ride home, we talked about it—we had to acknowledge that while the aeration was a factor, we also entered the match with too much confidence. It was a reminder that we have to keep earning these wins,” said Choi.
Newcomer Alexis Lee ’28 credited Choi’s leadership and steady presence during their pairing. Choi not only helped guide Lee through the match but also contributed a strong score to secure the team win.
“I was playing with the captain today. She was really encouraging, and everyone’s just supporting each other. Heyon played well. I got to watch her the whole round and she was a big reason we won the best ball match,” said Lee.
Evan DeMayo ’26 commended Lee for her debut performance, praising her maturity and composure.
“Alexis Lee deserves a shoutout. She played in her very first high school match today. Even though the result didn’t swing her way, she carried herself with a level of composure and grit that stood out. It takes real guts to step into a varsity match that young, and she handled it with class,” said DeMayo.
DeMayo noted that the team’s win came not from one defining moment but through a string of well-executed, smaller successes. He highlighted the team’s consistent communication and camaraderie as key strengths.
“There wasn’t a single fireworks moment, but sometimes golf is about the quiet clutch shots—the up-and-down saves, the two-putt pars under pressure. It’s the accumulation of those small wins that got us over the line today. We’re big on communication, whether it’s strategizing during warm-ups or checking in throughout the week, and that keeps our foundation solid even when our swings aren’t,” said DeMayo.
Golf will travel to face Brooks on Thursday before hosting the Andover Invitational on Saturday.
Editor’s Note: Heyon Choi ’25 was the former Executive Digital Editor for The Phillipian, vol. CXLVII.
