It was supposed to be the start of the season for the two biggest MSU golf fans.

It was supposed to be the tournament where they finally would see their granddaughter pick up her first collegiate win.

But the car had to leave one behind.

Last Wednesday, senior golfer Liz Nagel received a call from her mother.

Her grandfather, Jon Sanford, died after suffering two small seizures and going into cardiac arrest.

By the sound of her mother’s voice, Nagel guessed it was their dog, Mack, who had been nearing the end of his life.

But it wasn’t. It was worse.

“I said, ‘Oh no, was it Mackie’s time to go?’ and she said, ‘No, it was grandpa,‘” Nagel said, recounting her mother’s call. “I can’t even tell you how surprised I was. I didn’t even think she was serious.”

It was mere days prior to the MSU women’s golf team’s first tournament of the season, where Jon would’ve been in his golf cart following Nagel to every hole offering support to each member of the team, as if he was the team’s grandpa.

Instead of sitting the tournament out to grieve, Nagel knew she had to play — for grandpa.

“He wouldn’t ever want me to sit the bench for any reason,” she said. “It really made me more focused. All my family was there and it was so great having them around me and being surrounded by all that support. It really made it almost more peaceful for me.”

And focused she was, because just days after his death, Nagel finished the 30th annual Mary Fossum Invitational three shots ahead of second place with a 1-over 217 — her first collegiate tournament win. In her opening round, Nagel set the bar high with a tournament-low 68.

Nagel’s victory came as no surprise to junior golfer and Nagel’s roommate Trisha Witherby.

“I’m going to cry just talking about it,” Witherby said. “Throughout the whole tournament, even when I saw her name at the top of the leaderboard, I was just so proud of her, and she’s just such an inspiration to our team. … I knew she was going to do it.”

This isn’t the first time Nagel has faced adversity while a member of the MSU golf team.

Not even a year ago in November 2012, Nagel was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. After having surgery to remove the cancer a month later, she only missed the first tournament of the spring.

“She is the definition of Spartan strong,” Witherby said, unable to fight back the tears.

Nagel said her fun, loving and energetic grandfather was present wherever the golf team went. Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, it didn’t matter, he was there.

“I can’t tell you how many times he’s gotten in his golf cart and followed me around at how many tournaments throughout my life,” Nagel said. “It was hard not having him there because his cart was always there and always following me every round I played. Every time I looked to the sideline (this weekend) it always seemed like he was there. It was kind of a weird feeling.”

Nagel’s win led her to being named Big Ten Women’s Golfer of the Week. The team also picked up its first win of the season, beating out 14 other teams from across the nation.

The Spartans will try to win again this weekend as they travel to Franklin, Tenn., for the Mason Rudolph Championship. Then after a week off, MSU will go to Chapel Hill, N.C., for the Tar Heel Invitational.