Senior golfer Tonje Daffinrud, a Norway native, has left her mark on the University of Denver.
As the second women’s golfer in DU history to attend the NCAA National Championship, Daffinrud is now preparing to play as the No. 14 player on May 20 at the Tulsa Country Club in Tulsa, Okla.
Daffinrud finished her last regular season with the Pioneers by placing 12th at the NCAA West Regional in Cle Elum, Wash., which allowed her to advance as an individual to the Championships.
One might say her NCAA Championship appearance has been a long time coming. Born and raised in Tonsberg, Norway, Daffinrud began her golf career at the age of 10 and later played for her private high school Norges Toppidrettsgymnas in Oslo.
“I quickly realized that I wanted to pursue golf, and my dream has always been to play golf professionally. Playing collegiate golf has helped me prepare for the tour and I knew already before high school that I wanted to play college golf in the U.S.,” said Daffinrud.
Making the move to the United States four years ago was a large change but has proved to be successful for Daffinrud and her career.
“It was a bit of a cultural shock coming over here four years ago, but I really love Colorado and I have grown a lot as a person and golfer during my time here.”
Since 2010, Daffinrud has played four impressive seasons.
As a freshman, Daffinrud won her first individual conference title when she posted 2-under par. During her sophomore year with Denver, Daffinrud shot her season low of 71 and as a junior, she finished the season with a 73 average. In her final season as a senior, Daffinrud averaged a low score of 72.
Along with receiving multiple honors for golf over the past four years, Daffinrud has also been recognized for her strong academic success.
In 2011 and 2012, Daffinrud was named to the SBC Commissioner’s List for earning a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Graduating this year as double major in international business and economics, Daffinrud is grateful for her education and golf career at Denver.
“I chose DU because of the overall golf program, coaches and facilities. Education is also important to me, so I wanted to choose a good school. I love the mountains and the city and just the overall environment at DU. I’ll miss this place a lot.”
Though there is only one more tournament remaining in Daffinrud’s college career, her options for golfing post-graduation are looking bright.
“I am turning professional by the end of the summer, and I can’t wait to put all my time into golf. It is something I have waited a long time for and I am really excited. My plan is to move to Spain and play the European Tour for a few years and then hopefully end up back here and play in the LPGA.”
Reflecting back on her time as a Pioneer, Daffinrud is grateful for what DU has provided her.
“It has been great. I have learned so much and the support I have got from my coaches, trainers and other support staff has been amazing. A student-athlete’s life is busy and I have learned how to manage my time and prioritize. Sometimes it has been really tough to get everything done, but in the end it is absolutely worth all the hard work.”
