Fourteen-year-old Maggie Noel is not just another pretty face. This 8th grade honor student will head the new Thurgood Marshall High School golf team as an entering freshmen, after finishing another summer golf season with a successful string of victories.
Noel began her 2002 season by representing the city of Houston at the World Junior Golf Cup finals in Orlando, Florida where she finished as runner up. She continued to showcase her golfing expertise by securing the Individual Girls Gold Medal and helping her team win the Team Gold Medal at the National Youth Games in New Jersey.

Her skills were further recognized when she became team co-champion at The National Inner City Championship held in Boston, Massachusetts, an event where Houston claimed its sixth consecutive championship title. In addition, she was one of 160 girls worldwide to qualify to compete in the 54th Annual United States Golf Association (USGA) Junior Girls Championship in Westfield, New Jersey, June 22nd through 27th. After two days of stroke play, Noel succeeded in out scoring almost half of the field; however, she missed the final cut by five strokes.
Undaunted, she then returned to Texas to successfully defend, and win, her 2nd consecutive under 15 yrs. Junior Girls Texas State (PGA) Championship in Austin, shooting a score of 67 and 76.
Posting victories in Girls Junior Golf is not a new concept to this young teenager. She started at the tender age of six with the Lonestar Junior Golf Program in Houston Hermann Park where a group of dedicated volunteers taught her the basics of golf. Before she turned eight, she had graduated to advanced class sessions.
Between the ages of 10 and 12 shewon the Little Linksters Championship title… twice.

She was the first female to win all 3 categories in a regional (Golf Channel) putt, chip, and drive competition. In 1999, she won the bronze medal at the National Youth games in Birmingham Alabama, and was the 1st place winner for the girls under 14 Champion of Champions tournament at Greg Norman’s MeadowBrook Farms Country Club inaugural opening.
Noel has received a number of awards as well. For example, she was selected as Houston’s 2001 Female Athlete of the Year by the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation, recognized as a Female Athlete Scholar by the Houston Parks and Recreation program Athletes Seeking Knowledge (ASK), and chosen Female Player of the Year by the Lonestar Golf Association for the last three years.
She has held company with such dignitaries as former President George Bush; Dynegy CEO Chuck Watson; Mayor of Houston, Lee P. Brown; Mayor of Boston, Thomas Menion: and, golfing legends Charlie Sifford and Greg Norman.

Noel’s participation in tournaments and charity fundraisers is impressive not because the list is so long, but because she has finished in the top 5 for 95% of the events she has entered. According to the National Junior Golf Scoreboard rankings (www.njgs.com) for 2002, she is #3 in Texas and #21 worldwide for yr.2006 H.S. graduates.
A talent like this is rare and worthy of mention. Golf enthusiasts would do well to keep their eye on Maggie Noel. If her past is any indication of the future, Houston might have its very own tigress stalking the fairways as she prepares for bigger prey.