Mihaylo finance junior Martina Edberg’17 has her sights set on a professional golf career with the LPGA. She is currently on the CSU Fullerton women’s golf team.

The first CSU Fullerton golfer to win the Big West Conference Championship individual title, Mihaylo finance student Martina Edberg ’17 aspires to a professional career on the LPGA.  Edberg discusses her upbringing in Sweden, future goals and the value of her business education.

“My inspiration for an athletic career has been the chance to compete and pursue things that I never thought were possible,” Mihaylo finance junior Martina Edberg ’17 says. “I’ve learned that when I work hard, it pays off in the end.”

Gymnastics to Diving to Golf to Orange County

Edberg has come a long way in her personal and professional journey. She grew up in Glumslov, Sweden, a town of about 2,000 people near the Swedish-Danish border. Her family — father Jonas, mother Julia and younger sister Madeleine – have always been supportive of her athletic aspirations, which began with an interest in gymnastics.

She later emulated Swedish springboard diver Anna Lindberg and took up diving, yet this endeavor was cut short due to ear problems. Finally, at age 13, she developed her current passion for golf, inspired by two of her uncles and taking advantage of the fairways at Hooks Herrgard Golfklubb, one of Sweden’s premier golf destinations. Edberg was on Sweden’s youth national golf team, which won the European Championships in 2013.

In 2013, Edberg relocated to Orange County to pursue an undergraduate business degree at CSU Fullerton. She recently declared a major in finance. “I believe I can utilize this program to my advantage, because it provides training for a very diverse and global field,” she says. “I believe this background will be useful for me regardless of where my future career leads me.”

Martina Edberg carefully selects clubs, such as the Nike putter, that have helped her achieve her current score of 72.75, the lowest score for any female CSU Fullerton golfer.

She has been a member of the CSU Fullerton women’s golf team for each year since her arrival, and in 2014, she became the first golfer in the university’s history to win the Big West Conference Championship individual title. She was named the 2014 Big West Women’s Golf Freshman of the Year.

Edberg says moving to California from her native Sweden has been quite an adjustment. “This fall semester has really been the first time that I’ve gotten used to living here,” she says. “The things I most enjoy about California are the sunny weather and the beaches that are fun to explore. The biggest adjustment is the culture and the food. It is completely different from Sweden and has taken a while to get used to.”

Edberg advises other student athletes to consider studies in business. “Athletes are in a sense business people, since any professional career is all about marketing and finances,” she says. “Understanding how the business world works is a great advantage.”