Howard stand-out golfer Marley Franklin has several achievements throughout her years in high school and college.
Franklin recently competed in the John Shippen Women’s Invitational for the second time in her career. The Invitational is a 12-player tournament for the top amateur and professional Black female golf players.
“Being invited to the John Shippen for the second time is amazing,” Franklin said. “You’re also playing against professional golfers. It’s considered to be highly ranked and to be able to have a chance to play with professional golfers, that’s a big deal.”
The John Shippen Invitational is a 36-hole contest that lasts for two days. Competing at the college level prepared her for this.
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“Usually, we do 36 holes in one day, so it’s kinda nice that we get to do 18 and 18,” Franklin said. “36 holes is very challenging, especially in collegiate golf, because you’re on the golf course for 10 hours a day.”
A 36-hole tournament requires mental toughness and Franklin tends to get nervous on the golf course. She has activities to put herself in a good place mentally.
“The best way I prepare for my tournament is listening to meditation or listen to music or have a talk with my teammates,” Franklin said. “We say good affirmations that help us.”
With the Bisons, Franklin became the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year. She also helped Howard win the 2024 National Collegiate Championship.
“I’ve gotten the opportunity to play a lot of amazing golf courses,” Franklin said. “We play on the top-of-the-line tournaments that we can get into.”
As a sophomore, Franklin helped Howard win the Hornet Classic at the Creek. She executed a personal best of four-under 68 in the second round.
“That was a turning point for me because that was my first tournament as a sophomore,” she said. “I also didn’t play that well my first round; I actually shot an 80. That second-round score, that really helped cushion my team to victory.”
A native of Los Angeles, Franklin competed for Notre Dame high school. She was named MVP in 2021. The following year, she won the Los Angeles City Junior Golf Championships.
“It was a sweet way to end off my senior high school golf experience,” Franklin said. “The last two years I’ve came in tied for second, tied for third. I definitely think my senior year, that was my time to take home the win.”
