Newcomer adjusts to college game quickly

The vast majority of freshman golfers take a redshirt year during their first year at IU. A redshirt allows the athlete to sit out a season to become acclimated with the differences between high school and collegiate playing levels. It's rare to have a true freshman play and contribute to the team's scores. Freshman Molly Redfearn has become the exception to this unwritten rule.\nRedfearn qualified for all three of the Hoosiers tournaments this season, and next week she will compete in her fourth in as many tries.\nRedfearn, who hails from Racine, Wisc., came to IU after collecting numerous high school honors including all-state player of the year in 2001. She was a three-time first team all-conference performer, as well as three-time all-county player of the year. \nEven with all of those accolades, Redfearn said she knew the transition from the high school game to the collegiate one would be difficult.\n"It's tough because in high school I didn't have to qualify at all for any tournaments, and here I've had to go out and qualify each weekend," Redfearn said. "There's a lot more pressure than I expected."\nAt the Wolverine Invitational, the first tournament of the year, Redfearn shot an 85 in each of her first two rounds, but came back strong and shot a 77 in the final round to finish in a tie for 23rd place. In the scoring format for the Wolverine the top four scores on each team were used, and Redfearn's 77 was the 3rd lowest score by a Hoosier in that final round and counted towards the team's total. The Hoosiers went on to win the Wolverine Invitational team championship, their first win in over a year. \n"I really didn't know what to expect," Redfearn said. "I knew that IU had a really good golf team, so I just did my best to make the top six each time and when I got into tournaments I did my best to help the team."\nSenior Cara Stuckey said she appreciates the hard work Redfearn has put in to help the team. "Molly has done a great job for us this year. She's stepped in and got an opportunity to play in tournaments, and she's been consistent," Stuckey said. "If any thing it gives her confidence because usually its hard for freshman to adjust, and I think she's done a great job with that. And hopefully she'll continue to do it in the spring because we're going to need her if we're going to have a successful season."\nRedfearn acknowledges the increased difficulty in collegiate golf. \n"The college game is a lot different than in high school," Redfearn said. "All the girls are really dedicated, and in high school we were kind of out there for the fun of it. And these girls all work really hard at their games. They're just a lot more competitive, and they're at a higher level."\nCoach Sam Carmichael agreed with Redfearn.\n"You're playing with a lot better players so that's intimidating to start with," Carmichael said. "In high school only about one or two people can play, here you have a whole lot of them. Once you're in college it's just a whole lot harder. All of a sudden you're trying to play golf part time and have to go to school. It's a lot study wise; it's a lot more pressure."\nIn her second tournament, the Lady Northern Intercollegiate, Redfearn shot a 78-79-80 for combined total of 237, good enough for 39th place. Two weeks ago at the Shootout at the Legends in Franklin, Ind., she carded a 80-77-77 and finished in a tie for 42nd. \nCarmichael said he is pleased with Redfearn's progress, but knows that the best has yet to come. \n"I think her progress has been good," Carmichael said. "She has been getting a little more consistent with her game, and she knows that she can score down in the 70s and get it even lower than she has. She can definitely help this team"