Oklahoma State University Athletics
Former All-American, Touring Pro A Tremendous Resource To Cowgirl Golf
October 10, 2015 | Cowgirl Golf
STILLWATER -Â Even before arriving at Oklahoma State in 2002 the hard-swinging Swede, Karin Sjodin, always knew she'd be a professional golfer. That part she was sure of.
What she couldn't have known back in 2002 was that her life would still revolve around Cowgirl golf 13 years later. After three All-America selections at OSU and over 160 LPGA Tour events across the globe, Sjodin still calls Stillwater home, and is enjoying her second season as a volunteer assistant with Oklahoma State.
"I feel like I get the best parts of coaching," Sjodin said. "I get to watch them play and help them out in practice, but I don't have to do any of the paperwork. So, I really like where I'm at."
Sjodin was half-joking about her role on the coaching staff, but it has been a perfect match for the touring pro. Rather than hitting the road recruiting or tinkering with a player's swing, Sjodin is more of an advisor to this talented Cowgirl lineup, and she has the street cred players pay attention to.
Her biggest goal is to help the players with strategy and course management. With over a decade of tour experience she also understands what it takes to succeed at the highest level, and hopes to impart that wisdom to the Cowgirls.
"For most of the players here at Oklahoma State, they want to do exactly what I've been through," she said. "They want to make it through qualifying school and play on tour, so they like to pick my brain. Also, I can compare their practice habits and warmup routines to the players at the top of the world rankings. So, I feel like I can help them see things from a different perspective."
It's that perspective that OSU players love about Sjodin, who was among the heaviest of hitters in the LPGA. She led the tour in driving distance in both 2006 and 2007, and finished seventh at the World Long Drive Championships in 2006.
She says the biggest difference between the college game and the pros is that they rarely make the same mistake twice in the big leagues, and they don't let one mistake lead to another. It's that consistency and foresight that Sjodin helps to instill in her squad, and facilities that originally attracted her to Stillwater are now helping her prepare the Cowgirls.
Karsten Creek, one of the country's finest courses, helped mold her game in college, sharpened her skills as a professional on tour, and now serves as backdrop for her insights to young golfers in the Cowgirl program.
"There's no better place in the world to prepare to play on tour," Sjodin said of her home course, Karsten Creek. "I knew Stillwater had the best practice facilities in college golf, but I didn't realize it would be better than anything I'd see across the world."
It was a love for those facilities, the OSU community and a friendship with coaches Courtney Jones and Par Nilsson that the Cowgirls have to thank for Sjodin's relationship with the program. Nilsson, who is also from Sweden, was a two-time All-American for OSU on the men's side, and immediately struck up a friendship with Sjodin when they were both in school.
They both turned pro at the same time, and both stayed in Stillwater to train at Karsten Creek. The two developed a close friendship, both on and off the course that continues to this day. Sjodin is fond of jokingly telling Nilsson that she's the little sister he never wanted.
"She's one of the funniest people I know," said Nilsson. "I was ecstatic when she decided to join us officially because I respect her game and her opinions on the game so much. It's great that we don't have to worry about our own golf games anymore. Now we're working together to make this team better."
Not many programs have a current touring pro like Sjodin for players to work with, and Jones is excited to have her working with her young squad, which features a freshman, four sophomores and no seniors.
"She's tremendous resource to Par and I. She had a great career on tour and before that she was an All-American here at OSU. She's someone who has lived in Stillwater for years, and she's a great person that can relate to the girls."
Karin Sjodin Accolades
Professional/Amateur
• Participated in 163 LPGA Tour events and counting over the last 10 years
• Seven career top 10 and 27 top 25 finishes on the LPGA Tour
• Qualified for LPGA Tour on first attempt in 2006
• Led the LPGA in driving distance in 2006 and 2007
• Finished seventh at the World Long Drive Championships in 2006
• Member of the Swedish National Team from 2000-05
• World Amateur Champion (Individual and Team in 2004)
• European Team Champion (2000)
• Swedish Junior Champion (2000)
Oklahoma State
• First-team NGCA All-American (2005)
• Two-time honorable mention NGCA All-American (2003, 2004)
• Three-time NGCA All-Scholar (2003, 2004, 2005)
• Edith Cummings Munson Golf Award winner (2005)
• Dinah Shore Trophy Award winner (2005)
• ESPN the Magazine third-team Academic All-American (2005)
• Big 12 Newcomer of the Year (2003)
• Two-time first-team All-Big 12 (2004, 2005)
• Second-team All-Big 12 (2003)
• Big 12 All-Tournament team (2003)
• Two-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 (2004, 2005)
What she couldn't have known back in 2002 was that her life would still revolve around Cowgirl golf 13 years later. After three All-America selections at OSU and over 160 LPGA Tour events across the globe, Sjodin still calls Stillwater home, and is enjoying her second season as a volunteer assistant with Oklahoma State.
"I feel like I get the best parts of coaching," Sjodin said. "I get to watch them play and help them out in practice, but I don't have to do any of the paperwork. So, I really like where I'm at."
Sjodin was half-joking about her role on the coaching staff, but it has been a perfect match for the touring pro. Rather than hitting the road recruiting or tinkering with a player's swing, Sjodin is more of an advisor to this talented Cowgirl lineup, and she has the street cred players pay attention to.
Her biggest goal is to help the players with strategy and course management. With over a decade of tour experience she also understands what it takes to succeed at the highest level, and hopes to impart that wisdom to the Cowgirls.
"For most of the players here at Oklahoma State, they want to do exactly what I've been through," she said. "They want to make it through qualifying school and play on tour, so they like to pick my brain. Also, I can compare their practice habits and warmup routines to the players at the top of the world rankings. So, I feel like I can help them see things from a different perspective."
It's that perspective that OSU players love about Sjodin, who was among the heaviest of hitters in the LPGA. She led the tour in driving distance in both 2006 and 2007, and finished seventh at the World Long Drive Championships in 2006.
She says the biggest difference between the college game and the pros is that they rarely make the same mistake twice in the big leagues, and they don't let one mistake lead to another. It's that consistency and foresight that Sjodin helps to instill in her squad, and facilities that originally attracted her to Stillwater are now helping her prepare the Cowgirls.
Karsten Creek, one of the country's finest courses, helped mold her game in college, sharpened her skills as a professional on tour, and now serves as backdrop for her insights to young golfers in the Cowgirl program.
"There's no better place in the world to prepare to play on tour," Sjodin said of her home course, Karsten Creek. "I knew Stillwater had the best practice facilities in college golf, but I didn't realize it would be better than anything I'd see across the world."
It was a love for those facilities, the OSU community and a friendship with coaches Courtney Jones and Par Nilsson that the Cowgirls have to thank for Sjodin's relationship with the program. Nilsson, who is also from Sweden, was a two-time All-American for OSU on the men's side, and immediately struck up a friendship with Sjodin when they were both in school.
They both turned pro at the same time, and both stayed in Stillwater to train at Karsten Creek. The two developed a close friendship, both on and off the course that continues to this day. Sjodin is fond of jokingly telling Nilsson that she's the little sister he never wanted.
"She's one of the funniest people I know," said Nilsson. "I was ecstatic when she decided to join us officially because I respect her game and her opinions on the game so much. It's great that we don't have to worry about our own golf games anymore. Now we're working together to make this team better."
Not many programs have a current touring pro like Sjodin for players to work with, and Jones is excited to have her working with her young squad, which features a freshman, four sophomores and no seniors.
"She's tremendous resource to Par and I. She had a great career on tour and before that she was an All-American here at OSU. She's someone who has lived in Stillwater for years, and she's a great person that can relate to the girls."
Karin Sjodin Accolades
Professional/Amateur
• Participated in 163 LPGA Tour events and counting over the last 10 years
• Seven career top 10 and 27 top 25 finishes on the LPGA Tour
• Qualified for LPGA Tour on first attempt in 2006
• Led the LPGA in driving distance in 2006 and 2007
• Finished seventh at the World Long Drive Championships in 2006
• Member of the Swedish National Team from 2000-05
• World Amateur Champion (Individual and Team in 2004)
• European Team Champion (2000)
• Swedish Junior Champion (2000)
Oklahoma State
• First-team NGCA All-American (2005)
• Two-time honorable mention NGCA All-American (2003, 2004)
• Three-time NGCA All-Scholar (2003, 2004, 2005)
• Edith Cummings Munson Golf Award winner (2005)
• Dinah Shore Trophy Award winner (2005)
• ESPN the Magazine third-team Academic All-American (2005)
• Big 12 Newcomer of the Year (2003)
• Two-time first-team All-Big 12 (2004, 2005)
• Second-team All-Big 12 (2003)
• Big 12 All-Tournament team (2003)
• Two-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 (2004, 2005)
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