Galloway sisters are the first family in New Mexico high school girls golf

Dominique Galloway has a great shot at tying the New Mexico record this spring by winning her fourth state golf championship. Only one person appears to be capable of keeping her from this great accomplishment - her younger sister, Jacque Galloway. The record belongs to Rosie Jones of Cibola (Albuquerque).

Last year the Cleveland (Rio Rancho) star notched her third large-school title as a junior by shooting a 36-hole total of 140. Jacque, then an eighth-grader, was a distant state runner-up at 185. Interestingly, Dominique also was state runner-up as an eighth grader.

Making her quest even more pressure-filled is the fact that since then Dominque lost to her younger sister in four straight tournaments until an unexpected victory when she wasn't even supposed to play due to health problems.

Her wisdom teeth were extracted on a Friday, three days prior to the big Albuquerque Public Schools city tournament.

"I was throwing up and sick all day," she recalled. "It was cold and windy. I had no energy, no breath. (But) my team was counting on me. I shot a 73 (one over par) and Jacque was second with 77. I finally broke her streak."

Adding even more pressure for both girls is the fact that should Jacque beat Dominique this spring, she would have a shot at winning four straight championships.

Dominique got her start in golf at age 7 when her parents, John and Monica Galloway, placed her in the local First Tee program.

She pointed out, "He (her father) really didn't force me, but I really liked basketball. He just encouraged us (Jacque joined, too, though two years younger). Rob (Lowry, her first instructor) said I had a really good swing - I only hit it 2 feet. It was an athletic thing. I have really long legs and arms. I just wind up and I have to have a really strong core. After ninth grade, I quit basketball."

Lowry first assessed Dominique as "average. She had some athleticism and was shy. She really had potential because she had a knack of picking up instruction. I wasn't sure she'd like it and I didn't want to press her. Her awkwardness in golf got my eye. The first few times she got to play competitively, you could see she wanted to progress more quickly. She had a fairly controlled movement from a full swing. Her short game became a more severe focus."

Today he praises, "(she) really can go far with this. She doesn't get upset and doesn't hold bad shots. She has pretty quick recovery. She has good club speed. I am super proud of her. She has a great family. She really believes in herself."

Lowry's proudest moment with Dominique came during 2013 when she was playing in the New Mexico-West Texas Amateur. He related, "She was not doing well on the practice tee and called me that night. I had (to give) a lesson on the phone, just knowing her and what faults she might fall into.That was her first big win."

A key time in her career came at age 12 when she played in a junior tournament at the famed Pinehurst Golf Course in North Carolina. She recalled thinking, "Wow, Payne Stewart won the U.S. Open on this course. I got to play with kids from different countries. That trip kind of sparked my love for golf."

At age 14 she turned the tables on her father, asking him, "Dad, can we go to the course now? Before he used to ask us to go. That year I made the USGA Girls Junior Tournament, 156 players from all over the USA, at Olympia Fields in Illinois. I missed the cut by three shots. We were treated like pros and had our own caddies. It made me work even harder. I wanted to go to college, anywhere, so my parents wouldn't have to pay."

In eighth grade, Dominique made the Cleveland varsity team and came under the tutelage of Jim Tillery.

Tilllery recalled that she already was "pretty good. She had all the physical tools - swing and balance. All we did was work on attitude and temperament. (As a senior) she obviously is ready to go to college. She should be able to walk on as a freshman and start at the University of Texas. She works every day whether it's windy or rainy. She works endlessly on her game - very internally motivated. She has brought some players into our program because of her success."

Golf truly is shared by all members of the Galloway family. John is the on-course inspiration, Monica is the cheerleader. She calls herself the"filter," because at times she urges her daughters to take a brief break from golf and "go shopping." Jacque, of course, is the constant best friend and - at the same time - chief competitor.

Jacque recalls feeling jealous when Dominique received her first set of golf clubs. "I was too young and I watched her," she said. "I used to steal her clubs. I kept them in my room. It's like that in everything. It's definitely a rivalry. It's not intense, a very civil rivalry. I also want to do stuff on my own."

The rivalry on the course, however, can heat up quickly. Jacque told the following story:

"Last fall at our home course we had heavy rain and winds. I shot 70. She had a par-5 left and we were tied. She kept saying, 'I want to go back (and finish).' She made a birdie, shot 69 and beat me."

Dominique says of Jacque, "We know each other's games so well that when we practice Jacque will say, 'Can you help?' We are best friends. We make each other better. We play games. I could spend every single day with her. Me and her are so different on the golf course. She shows her emotions, but I don't. If she beats me, I know I've got to work harder. I am more upset at myself."

The Galloway sisters already are somewhat of a legend on the Albuquerque golf links. They played two-man best-ball against Lowry - who used to beat them - and finally they beat him badly. He moaned, "I shot 8-under and was 8-down after nine holes. Now they ask me to play and I say, 'Oh, I'm busy.'"

Dominique already has chosen Texas over Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. She has a 3.9 GPA and would like to teach elementary school some day. She has a very mature outlook about the LPGA. She admitted, "I don't know if I want to live their life, travel all the time, I want to have a family."

When Dominique was just 10 years old, she told her father, "Daddy I want to be a four-time state champion. It would probably mean the world to me - one of the best feelings ever."

Well, Jacque is not exactly chopped liver. She ranks third in her class and has the likes of Stanford showing interest in her already.

Recalling last year's runner-up finish, Jacque said, "It was my first state championships and I was really nervous. She was on fire. I want to close that gap and I think I can. She still is confident, but I know I can beat her. On the last hole in the state would I let her win? I want to beat her. I want her to have to beat me."