CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Lucie Charbonnier's golf career was off to a strong start when something happened to one of her kidneys in 2022.
Now a senior, she was initially recruited from France to play at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. She explained her journey back to competing on the golf course.
"I was very good in golf and then suddenly it happened when we just got into offseason. I got, like, a lot of pain in my back and in my stomach," Charbonnier said.
At Corpus Christi Country Club, Charbonnier practices different shots around the course. She came a long way since doctors discovered something was wrong with one of her kidneys in Fall 2022. She had two surgeries soon after and the recovery began, which doctors said could have lasted six to nine months.
"I got to actually have an incredibly fast recovery," Charbonnier said. "It was just three months after and I was already, like, playing."
The senior Islanders golfer said it was hard getting back on the course and could barely walk for days after surgery. As someone who walks for 12 hours when she plays, Charbonnier was tired after just 15 minutes on her feet. After working with physical therapists and chiropractors, she said it helped her push through.
"It was very hard, because I would work out every day. So, I was very tired but I knew I, this is how to, what I had to do," Charbonnier said.
Islanders Women's Golf Head Coach Pat Stephens said Charbonnier positively affected the program as soon as she got to Corpus Christi. She did what the doctors wanted, came back and rehabbed. He said she did not practice or play until she was ready but was excited and did not miss a step when she returned.
"She wants to win at everything she does, and that bleeds into the other teammates," Stephens said. "They see that and with her success, her teammates will just fall right behind her."
Stephens added that overcoming this obstacle is a testament to Charbonnier's passion for the game. While she said it was hard to believe that golf was taken away from her when it happened, it made her a stronger person when she came back to it.
"You realize how important everything is and I try to be, now I enjoy more being on the golf course, like, just to be there, be able to play. It's just a blessing for me," Charbonnier said.
Charbonnier said the kidney that was operated on is functioning at about 18% of what it usually does but doctors hope to increase that to 30%.
She plans to pursue a master's degree in sports management and wants to be a grad assistant. Before that, she will compete in a home tournament on February 19-20 at Corpus Christi Country Club as their spring season begins.