McCorkel leads Wildcat
Women to Title Hopes

By Ryan Finley
GolfArizona.com Staff Writer

After all, the third-year head coach of the University of Arizona women’s golf team was once on the Nike Tour and owns a PGA tour card. The road from the links to a desk job hasn’t always been easy, but to hear Wildcat fans tell it, McCorkel is either a natural or the luckiest bastard to hit campus in a long time.

McCorkel just might agree with that statement.

“When I was playing, I never thought that I could be happy coaching,” he said. “But I matured, grew up a little, and realized that coaching is the ultimate way to make a difference. Here at Arizona, we are a family. I might sound sappy, but we’re that close.”

In just his third season, McCorkel’s Wildcats, led by two time All-American Jenna Daniels, are currently the one of the nation’s top teams and lighting up the Arizona golf scene.

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So why can’t the coach of the 1996 National Champions pick up a golf club?

“My game isn’t what it used to be,” McCorkel said. “I get out there on the links and just frustrate myself all day long. I’m either slicing it or not chipping right or doing something wrong out there. I really can’t even stand to watch myself play anymore.”

So a former professional golfer ends up looking like the guy at Pebble Beach in the credit card commercial. No big deal….right?

“It bothers me, but not so much that I dislike the game,” McCorkel said. “As good as I ever was as a player, I know that I can be a better coach. In fact, I would rather spend time recruiting or helping players out than hitting the links.”

“Playing men’s college golf in the south is different from playing it just about anywhere else,” he said. “For some reason, it’s just….well, southern. People seem to take the men’s game a little more seriously out there.”

Graduation saw McCorkel embark on the Nike Tour, where he earned his PGA tour card. “The Nike Tour was fun,” he said, “But after awhile, I realized that I could have some luck coaching, too.”

Assistant coach’s jobs at Coastal Carolina University and the University of Florida led to an eventual head coaching job at the U of A. When Rick LaRose decided to focus solely on the men’s program, McCorkel became the first coach to lead the women exclusively. McCorkel instantly fell in love with the Wildcat program.

“Arizona has beautiful courses, great academics and wonderful weather,” he said. “Hell, the U of A practically recruits on its own. Deep down, I think student-athletes want to come to college to learn something. If so, the U of A is their place.”

The University of Arizona is definitely Todd McCorkel’s place.