Since finishing fourth at the 1993 NCAA Championships played on the very same University of Georgia Golf Course, Kelly's crew had been on the receiving end of some tough times. Over that span, UGA's only two triumphs were at the 1994 SEC Championships and 1995 Rainbow Wahine Invitational. With Estes entering the winner's circle, Erin O'Neil cracking the top 10, Julia Boros breaking into the top 20 and Stefi Markovich and Shannon Ogg providing solid counters, the Lady Dogs did the unthinkable by winning in successive weeks at the Murphey and SECs. As a result, they surged as high as 13th in the rankings. We were in contention a couple of times in the fall, but it took the team believing as much as Shauna does.
Golf is all about confidence and momentum.
With Shauna backing it up, it's contagious just like bad attitudes and poor play. In the process, UGA essentially earned the triumph after O'Neil regrouped from a devastating opening round of 82, the first time in two years her total didn't count towards the team tally. The Floridian finished with a 74 to help the squad maintain its six-stroke margin and took third individually. While Estes pushed O'Neil through her fall funk, the Orangeburg, S.C., resident received a torrent of trophies highlighted by being the only freshman on the All-America first team. Concluding her campaign with eight straight top-10 finishes, including three victories, Estes became the second player in conference history to be named SEC Player of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year in the same season.