Theresa Shaw still isn't entirely convinced she belongs here.

Not on a college golf team. Not competing in national events. Not preparing for a prestigious USGA internship at the U.S. Open. Not talking about a future career in the golf industry.

And yet, somehow, that's exactly what makes her story so compelling.

The rising senior at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa has spent most of her golf career proving that where you start doesn't determine where you finish.

"I look at golf as a gift," Shaw said. "I'm just so grateful to be here."

It's a perspective that has carried her from Ensenada, Mexico, to Northern California junior golf, through college competition, and now toward opportunities she once couldn't have imagined.

For Shaw, golf wasn't simply a hobby. It was part of her family's life from the beginning.

Her father worked as a golf professional at a resort in Mexico, which gave the family access to the game despite its high cost. Shaw played her first tournament when she was just four years old.

"I was basically born into golf," she said.

But even with that early introduction, she understood how inaccessible the game could be.

"In developing countries, golf is even more for the elite," Shaw explained. "It's very expensive."

When she visits family in Mexico, the opportunities golf has provided often seem almost unreal.

After traveling to Hawaii for a collegiate championship, she remembers sharing the experience with relatives back home.

"My aunt said it was like I went to the moon," Shaw said with a laugh. "It's just so outside of their reality."

That awareness has shaped how she views every step of her journey.

Building a Path Through Golf

As a junior golfer in Northern California, Shaw benefited from programs designed to make golf more accessible to young players.

She credits organizations likeYouth on Course with helping create opportunities that changed the trajectory of her life.

"My success is a byproduct of organizations like this," Shaw said. "Golf is an expensive sport, and because of opportunities like Youth on Course, my family and I were able to take advantage of it."

Affordable access meant more rounds played. More rounds meant improvement. Improvement opened doors to college golf and higher education.

"It sounds like such a small thing," she said. "But it's a steppingstone. If you can play at an affordable price, you can keep getting better, build your resume, earn a scholarship and keep moving forward."

One of the people who has witnessed that progression firsthand is NCGA Board of Directors member Cathy Stroh.

Stroh first met Shaw in 2018 when she was serving as President of the Women's Golf Association of Northern California (WGANC). That year, Shaw received the organization's Most Improved Junior Girl award, joining a list of past recipients that includes LPGA star Paula Creamer.

"Theresa was an eloquent speaker and, although she worked very hard to drop her handicap, she was very appreciative of receiving the honor," Stroh recalled. "Little did Theresa or I realize that the two of us would become friends and cheer one another on."

Over the years, their paths continued to cross through Northern California golf.

"As an NCGA Board Member, I have had the privilege of starting Theresa at various tournaments and qualifiers," Stroh said. "It is always fun to see her and her family and watch her compete."

Their connection grew even stronger when Stroh's granddaughter, Madi, began playing collegiate golf.

"When my granddaughter Madi started playing in college, oftentimes Theresa would be playing and it was a thrill to watch them compete," Stroh said. "At the NCAA PacWest Championship tournament, I was delighted when Theresa made the top 10 and was selected to play at Regionals."

For Stroh, Shaw's story represents exactly why organizations like the NCGA and its Foundation and Youth on Course exist.

"Success stories such as Theresa's happen because the NCGA believes in supporting Northern California junior golfers," she said.

Gratitude Through Adversity

Golf teaches resilience. Shaw's college career put that lesson to the test.

After spending two years at Biola University, she and her teammates received devastating news: the women's golf program was being eliminated.

The announcement came during the season.

"We had a tournament two days later," Shaw recalled.

The decision forced players to scramble for new opportunities, re-enter recruiting processes, and rethink plans they thought were settled.

"It was a huge setback," she said. "My community was there. I loved it there."

The transition eventually led her to Vanguard, where she has flourished both academically and athletically. But the experience left a lasting impression.

"I would say that was one of the only times I felt unsupported as a woman golfer," she said.

At the same time, it deepened her appreciation for the people and organizations that actively invest in women's golf.

"It makes me appreciate the people who do support women's golf so much, because I know what it feels like not to have that."

A Different Way to Compete

Ask Shaw what has helped her navigate golf's inevitable ups and downs, and she doesn't talk about swing mechanics.

She talks about gratitude.

Whether she's competing in college tournaments or standing on the first tee at Pebble Beach Golf Links—her favorite and most intimidating course—she returns to the same mindset.

"If you have that foundation of gratitude, you don't fall into being discouraged," she said. "I'm so grateful to be here. I'm going to work as hard as I can, but ultimately I'm going to enjoy it."

That perspective comes in part from her father, who competed as a Division I golfer and pursued professional golf himself.

The most valuable lesson he taught her wasn't about technique.

"It's putting things into perspective," Shaw said. "You hit one bad shot and think it's the end of the world, but it's not."

Golf, after all, has a way of humbling everyone.

Even Shaw admits that despite years of success, she still battles moments of imposter syndrome.

But instead of allowing those feelings to define her, she uses them as motivation.

"My background says I shouldn't be here," she said. "But it shows that through hard work, anything is possible."

Looking Ahead

This summer, Shaw will take another significant step in her journey after being selected for the USGA Pathways Internship Program, a highly competitive opportunity that places just 24 students from across the country at the U.S. Open.

The selection process took persistence. She applied once and wasn't chosen.

She applied again.

This time, she got the call.

The experience has only reinforced what she already suspected: she wants to stay connected to golf long after her competitive career ends.

A business major entering her final year at Vanguard, Shaw sees possibilities everywhere—from golf administration to player development and beyond.

As a bilingual woman with deep roots in the game, she also understands the unique perspective she can bring to the industry.

"I've always been told the golf industry needs more women who are bilingual," she said.

For now, she's focused on continuing to compete, building her amateur resume, and seeing where the game takes her next.

More Than a Golf Story

As Shaw prepares for her senior season and her exciting summer internship, she represents something larger than individual achievement.

Her journey reflects the impact that access, mentorship and opportunity can have on a young player's future.

Stroh sees that impact every day through NCGA's junior golf initiatives, including the NCGA Foundation Junior Girls’ Grant Program, the Helen Lengfeld Junior Girls’ Championships and the Junior Tour of Northern California.

"When junior golfers are given the opportunity to play, they learn to make decisions, they have aspirations to play at higher levels, and they become our future leaders," Stroh said.

For Shaw, those opportunities opened doors she never imagined possible.

And for the organizations and people who helped create them, her success serves as a reminder of what can happen when golf becomes accessible to everyone.