The Cienega senior remembers a round at Randolph Golf Complex last season when she was having a difficult day. Three over par heading into her final hole, Chandler still had one chance to finish on a high note. She ended her round with an eagle, a moment that reminded her what she was capable of and reinforced the lesson that patience can be just as important as the swing itself, something she’s carried into her senior campaign.

“In that moment, I was like, ‘Wait, I can do it. It's okay,’ ” Chandler said. “Obviously, if I was having a bad hole, I could come back from it.”

That mindset has helped Chandler establish herself as one of Southern Arizona's top high school golfers. She has recorded nine first-place finishes in her matches this season, posted a season-low score of 36 and is ranked sixth in Division II, according to Cienega coach Ken Bever. Chandler also finished third overall at the Flowing Wells Tournament of Champions and qualified for the state tournament for the third time in her high school career.

While Chandler's results have made her a standout on the course, Bever said her impact on the Bobcats extends well beyond the scorecard.

In his first season coaching Cienega's girls golf team, Bever inherited a group of four returning golfers and a senior who already had experience leading the program. Chandler had served as team captain before Bever took over, and she quickly became the kind of leader he hoped she would be.

What stood out was not simply her ability to play, but how she treated teammates who were still developing their games.

“When you have a golfer who's really good, especially when they’re more experienced than the rest of their team in terms of just skill level, you never know how it's going to be,” Bever said. “She was really great from the get-go about just being positive with the other golfers.”

Chandler's leadership has often meant finding ways to explain the game that resonate with her teammates. During one practice, Bever was working with another golfer on shifting her hips during her downswing. After his technical explanation wasn't producing the desired result, Chandler jumped in to offer a different way to visualize the movement, drawing on how she had learned the technique herself.

The adjustment worked almost immediately, giving the teammate a more powerful swing. Bever said Chandler has offered similar advice to other teammates, including helping explain ball placement in a way that makes the concepts easier to understand. Her perspective has become a resource for a coach who is learning the nuances of leading a girls golf program in his first season.

“She's helped me with a lot of the logistics of being a coach that I had not known,” Bever said. “She was a great resource for me.”

For Chandler, helping her teammates has become another way to develop her own game, particularly when it comes to the patience she has worked to improve.

“It's definitely the mental side,” Chandler said of her primary focus when helping out teammates. “It feels really good. I feel like it helps me with patience too.”

That support continues after Chandler finishes her own round. Bever said she has returned with him in the golf cart to check on teammates still playing, offering encouragement even when she has already completed her round. In a sport where individual scores often take center stage, those gestures have helped build a stronger team atmosphere.

Chandler also helps bring the group together away from the course, often spearheading post-match trips to Chipotle. According to the senior, during bus rides to competitions, the team shares music, laughs and makes memories that strengthen its bond.

Bever said those moments have helped create a culture in which the golfers support one another, even as Chandler prepares for a state tournament in which she will be competing for herself.

“She's a number one who supports her team,” Bever said. “I think having her in that positive mentality, which she does have, has really been important for our team.”

Chandler's own golf journey began in fourth grade, when her father introduced her to the sport. After trying softball, soccer and swimming, she found something that felt natural when she joined PGA Junior League. She continued playing through middle school before competing in high school and participating in additional junior golf tournaments.

Over time, her game has developed around her ability to hit the ball far, which she claimed has become one of her biggest strengths. She has grown stronger and more comfortable with her clubs, allowing her to approach shots with greater confidence.

Bever described Chandler's swing as smooth and said she has shown a willingness to take instruction and apply it to her game. As she prepares for the state tournament, he has encouraged her to use her fairway woods more often and refine her short game, including when to use a bump-and-run shot around the green.

The adjustments are part of preparing for the lengthy Aguila Golf Course in Laveen, which measures of 5,100 yards from the women's tees.

Bever said Chandler understands that continued improvement will be necessary if she hopes to compete at the next level, a defining goal of hers as she approaches graduation in the spring. Beyond high school golf, she practices outside of team sessions, including playing 18 holes on Sundays and has remained receptive to feedback despite her success.

“She knows her skill set isn't the end-all,” Bever said. “It's the foundation. It's where I am now. It's what I want to build on.”

That drive carries into the classroom, too. Chandler maintains a 4.0 GPA while serving as team captain and president of the Girls Golf Club. She said balancing academics and golf has come naturally, allowing her to focus on both without feeling overwhelmed.

After high school, Chandler hopes to continue playing golf in college, where she’ll get the opportunity to further her career and play at a higher level against greater competition.

Before that next chapter begins, Chandler has one final opportunity to test herself against Arizona's best on Oct. 26 and 27 at the Division II State Championships. Her goal at the state tournament is to finish in the top 15, with a top-10 finish an even more exciting possibility.

For Bever, her readiness to keep learning is one of the reasons he believes she can succeed at the collegiate level. He also believes the qualities she has demonstrated at Cienega, supporting teammates, accepting feedback and working toward improvement, will serve her well when she joins a new program.

“She understands that while she’s a really good golfer, she’s not done,” Bever said. “She knows her skill set isn’t the end all; it’s the foundation. On top of that, she’s a really good teammate and a number one golfer who supports her teammates… Having the mindset of wanting to get better and also wanting to support her teammates will help her grow into the role and person that she wants to be.”

Fast Five with Abby

What's your favorite club in your bag?

Probably my nine iron.

What's your favorite course to play in Tucson?

My favorite golf course is Forty Niner Country Club. I grew up playing there and there's a lot of memories at that course.

If you could add any professional golfer to Cienega golf, who would you pick?

Bryson DeChambeau. I like him because he's funny.

If you could play golf anywhere in the world, where would you choose?

Florida.

Do you have a favorite subject in school?

English; that's definitely my best subject.