- 5/19/2013 Shepard designs dream room
- 5/19/2013 Sue Jolly Award will honor student Mock Trial Team member
- 5/19/2013 Anglican Church to host homeless meeting
- 5/19/2013 North Augusta bookings
- 5/19/2013 Suspect sought in theft of Walmart cell phones
- 5/19/2013 STEMfest exposes students to principles of science, technology
- 5/19/2013 North Augusta crime blotter
- 5/19/2013 North Augusta High School hosts 309 student runners
- 5/19/2013 Predators fall to Knights in walk-off fashion
- 5/12/2013 Predators stumble against Knights, face uphill battle
- 5/12/2013 Lady Predators have to win to stay in
- 5/12/2013 Phil Schaefer reflects on North Augusta history
- 5/12/2013 North Augusta golf team’s season ends in Sumter
- 5/12/2013 NAHS grad named SEC Men’s Golf Freshman of the Year
- 5/12/2013 World’s No. 1 disc golfer pays a visit to Hippodrome
- 5/19/2013 Column: Downtown developments: Vacations less and less important
- 5/19/2013 Wrinkles: Recognizing mothers and angels
- 5/19/2013 Phragments from Phyllis: A mother’s a mother for the rest of her life
- 5/19/2013 Letter: Bring the troops home from Afghanistan
- 5/19/2013 Column: New PASS exams intended to benefit student performance
- 5/19/2013 Chaplain's corner: In his hand
- 5/12/2013 Column: The best of both borders
- 5/12/2013 Chaplain’s Corner: A mother’s joy
- 5/12/2013 Downtown developments: Bad customer service, part two
- 5/12/2013 Letter: Riverkeeper is a benefit to North Augustans
Talbert signs with Clemson
McKenzie Talbert, having earned a reputation as one of the South's top teen golfers, is now on board with Clemson University's golf program.
The scholarship-winning honor student at Strom Thurmond High School signed her paperwork Nov. 14, confirming her plans to become part of the Tigers' first-ever women's golf team.
She has been the Rebels' top golfer since seventh grade, and the choice to attend Clemson was made easier by the preferences of her parents, Ken and Robyn Talbert, she noted.
"My parents are big Clemson fans, and Clemson's always meant a lot to me, so it wasn't much of a decision."
The 17-year-old, who started playing golf at age 3 and began competing at age 7, said she plans to major in accounting. "Well, you've got to know how to count, to play golf," she said, with a laugh.
Referring to her favorite sport, she added, "I've been at it a long time ... It was actually an accident. I was at a babysitter's house, and she had some (gear) lying around, and we went to play, and that's when I picked it up, and I haven't put it down since."
She also has kept close to her books and now sports a grade-point average of 4.376 on a weighted scale (giving credit for advanced-level classes).
Her contemporaries include former North Augusta High School star Matt NeSmith, now in his freshman year on the golf team at South Carolina.
"She's very, very good. She's very feisty. She's got a lot of heart," he said. "I've known her since we were both little."
Factors in her favor over the years have included living within putting distance of the golf course at Mount Vintage Plantation, in Edgefield County. Her parents bought a home there before the course was developed, and it opened for business in 2000, just in time for a little girl with a keen interest in golf.
Talbert confirmed that the last few days have brought a mixture of anxiety and excitement.
"It's a really big deal. I live in such a small town, and everyone knows everything, and it's just really cool walking up and down the halls with all your teachers congratulating you, and it's just an awesome feeling knowing everyone's behind me."
Talbert's achievements have included winning the individual state title as a freshman, sophomore and junior. She's also the Carolina Girls' Player of the Year.
Notice about comments:
NOTE TO COMMENTERS: In mid-September, aikenstandard.com will use a different method for online commenting. A Facebook account will be required to comment on the site and current visitors will need to register for the new commenting platform.
If you have any questions, contact Melissa Hanna, multimedia development director, at mhanna@aikenstandard.com. We greatly appreciate your interaction on the site and apologize for any inconvenience.
Commenting rules: Do not post offensive, racial or violent messages. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the commenter, not www.aikenstandard.com. Click 'report abuse' for any comments that you feel should be removed from the site. However, www.aikenstandard.com is not obligated to remove any comment posted on the site. Moderators do not have the ability to edit comments.
Full terms and conditions can be read here.