Senior provides leadership

Senior Natalie Tucker, who earned All-Big Ten honors last year and was an honorable mention All-American in women's golf, is on course this year for accolades as the leader of the women's golf attack.\nTucker is the reason the Hoosiers are undefeated this spring season, entering this weekend's Indiana Invitational as the nation's No. 35 team, coach Sam Carmichael said.\nTucker transferred to IU from Memphis before her junior year. From St. Leon, Ind., she has played golf seriously since her freshman year in high school, when it more a favor to her father. \nIn high school, Tucker's father was the golf coach and needed more players. And with her father and brother playing all the time, Tucker got bored on the sidelines. She took the challenge. \n"Natalie has a tremendous desire to want to get better," Carmichael said. "She knows she can get there through hard work, and she does.\n"People like Natalie Tucker make coaching enjoyable." \nTucker just returned from winning the individual title at the San Antonio Shootout, where she shot a career-best 72 in the final round and was named Big Ten golfer of the week. \nThe win was Tucker's second individual victory, and her first at IU. \nBut Tucker was only concerned about was the team victory. \n"More importantly, we won as a team, and it was awesome," she said. "The last day we were seven strokes back, but we fought through the rain together for the victory, and we won by about seven strokes. It was amazing."\nTucker said she transferred because she was unhappy with the direction of the program at Memphis; she said it appeared that "they didn't have the desire for success." \nUnder Carmichael, a seven-time Big Ten Women's Coach of the Year winner, Tucker has a coach who "wants to lead, and girls who want to be successful," she said.\nHer game is improving; she shot a career best 3-under par last weekend. But Tucker isn't talking about it.\n"Other girls talk more than me, but I lead with how I play," she said. \nJunior Tiffany Fisher said she is excited whenever she is on the course with Tucker.\n"She always brings in a good game for us because she's so confident," Fisher said. "She leads us by telling us to believe in ourselves, and showing the entire team confidence. I'm going to miss her competitive nature next year." \nTucker is a sports management and marketing major and has 15 credit hours to complete. Her eligibility is up after this year, but her time at IU is not. After graduation, Tucker might attend the LPGA qualifying school, attempting to become a professional. \n"Natalie is one of the better players to come through here during my tenure, and there have been some pretty good players through here," Carmichael said. "You never know who's gonna make it, but I wouldn't be surprised if she is a successful professional."\nFreshman Karen Dennison hasn't been around Tucker for long, but her style and class is catching Dennison's attention, she said.\n"She's a very hard worker, and it shows," Dennison said. "I'm going to miss her leadership next year. I see Tucker out there working so hard, so I feel I should be out there working hard too.\n"She really inspires me to work harder to improve my game."\nTucker, who puts in about 25 hours a week of practice, not to mention traveling and participating in tournaments, said she will be sad to leave collegiate golf because of the close bond she has with her teammates. \n"We've had a great season so far," she said. "It's been so exciting. I can't believe it's almost over. Golf has been a part of my life for so long, and I'm really going to miss traveling and having that camaraderie with my teammates.\n"Individual stats are nice, but it really means something to accomplish all of this with a team"