STUDENT-ATHLETE ACCOLADES
The junior from Virginia is in her second year
at BGGA. Tu came to the Academy not knowing
anything about the college placement process
but was quickly brought up to speed. Her verbal
commitment came just six months after starting
the process.
“This was a really early commitment for me thanks
to BGGA’s college placement team,” said Tu. “I felt
like a huge weight had been lifted off of me.”
BYU checked all of Tu’s boxes in what she wanted
in a college golf program. “They are a Division I
golf school and have good academics,” said Tu.
“The coaches and team have a great dynamic. I
really loved it. “
Tu is excited about where golf is taking her, as it
is a sport that challenges her every day. She loves
that every day is different and that in college she’ll
be competing at a higher level in preparation for
turning professional in the future.
Learn more about Cynthia Tu in The Original
You.
MAURICIO
FIGUEROA -
UNIVERSITY OF
ARKANSAS (DI)
Mauricio Figueroa signed with DI University of
Arkansas.
Figueroa, 17, is from Guadalajara, Mexico. He is
the #2 overall ranked Mexican Junior Golfer. He
is rated 24th on the Golfweek.com Boys Junior
Class of 2019 ranking and 34th for the Class of
2019 by the National Junior Golf Scoreboard.
Figueroa represented Mexico at the Toyota
Junior World Cup and the Junior Americas Cup.
He was a medalist the Toyota Junior World Cup
Qualifier, shooting a 3-under 214 (77- 69-68), and
finished 27th at the World Cup Championship
shooting a 3-over 287 (69-69-77-72) to lead Mexico
to a seventh-place finish. Figueroa placed T17
at the Junior Americas Cup as Mexico finished
second. He Won a United States Junior Amateur
Championship qualifier and went on play at
Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J., in the 71st
U.S. Junior Amateur. Was 51st after stroke play
and tied for 33rd after reaching the first round of
match play.
On the AJGA Tour, he placed 8th at the Billy
Horschel Junior Championship, 12th at the
Thunderbird International and 13th at the Justin
Thomas Junior Championship. He claimed a
runner-up finish at the Latin American Junior
Classics. Playing in the Mexican Golf Federation,
he won the Copa Yucatan and placed second at
the Junior Mexican National Championship.
Figueroa joins BGGA alumni and current
Razorbacks Luis Garza and Julian Perico.
BGGA Senior Coach Manuel Bermudez said, “I’m
so happy to see Mauricio perform as well as he
has been doing outside of Mexico where he is
ranked No. 2. It has been very impressive to see
Mauricio become the player he is. University of
Arkansas is getting a great player with a bright
future, but more than that, they are getting an
exceptional person.”
THE GATE | DECEMBER 2018
7