From Spain to Bozeman, Rodriguez Todd dominates the links

For most Spanish golfers, Montana may be the last place on Earth they would expect to play a round, but for Cat Golf’s Sofia Rodriguez Todd, it’s home. Rodriguez Todd, a senior planning to graduate this spring with a degree in business management, began her golf career at the age of 4, playing on the weekends with her dad and grandfather on the courses around Madrid, Spain. 

“It just slowly progressed to me playing more and more as the years went by,” Rodriguez Todd said. 

Rodriguez Todd didn’t just play. She started competing and winning too. Her first tournaments were played early on Saturday mornings, usually in inclement weather. The young golfers would play three holes at double the normal par, not yet strong enough to launch the ball like Rodriguez Todd does now. 

“I just remember playing those same three holes over and over every Saturday morning and consistently winning, and that’s what really motivated me to stay with it and want to progress,” Rodriguez Todd says.

Looking toward college, Rodriguez Todd decided to enter the recruitment process to play abroad in the U.S. In the end, it was the coaching at MSU that brought her to Bozeman. 

“I ended up here because I really enjoyed Coach Basye as a person and as a coach,” Rodriguez Todd says. 

Brittany Basye is in her 18th year as the MSU women’s golf coach. The most successful seasons in Cat Golf history have all occurred under Basye’s tutelage. 

“Sofia tells it like it is,” Basye said, “She’s credible, she’s honest and she’s always there for her teammates.” 

Basye’s daughter, Kameryn Basye, also golfs for MSU and has been Sofia’s teammate for the last two seasons. The younger Basye has also noticed Rodriguez Todd’s compassion for her teammates over the years. 

“She is always rooting for everyone and cheering everyone on and asking about their rounds,” Basye said. 

Rodriguez Todd shines on the golf course, and she is just as committed to her success in the classroom. While leaving the state for midweek golf tournaments certainly does not make her classes any easier, Rodriguez Todd has found a way to balance school with golf. 

“It’s really about establishing a relationship with the professor and being able to talk to them beforehand,” she said, “You just kind of have to figure it out as you go.”

With her college career winding to a close, Rodriguez Todd has just a few rounds of golf left as a Bobcat, all taking place next week at the Big Sky Championships. Is there anything she’d like to say before the tournament? “Go Cats.”