With only seven holes left in the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championships, freshman Sam Wagner was on track to take first place in just the second tournament of her college golf career.
But the freshman will have to wait a little longer for her first win, as she bogeyed four of those seven final holes and subsequently dropped to third place.
Although Wagner may be frustrated with her finish at the Cherokee Golf Club in Knoxville, Tennessee, her 3-under final score marks an impressive improvement over her last outing at the Cougar Classic.
"Last week I struggled a lot, I finished 35th — which is alright, but definitely not how I wanted to play," Wagner said in a release. "This week was a lot better. I’ve just got to keep improving, and working on getting better every day."
Head coach Emily Glaser praised Wagner for her ability to learn from mistakes, an important tool in any player’s golf bag.
"The best players I’ve been around still make mistakes, but the difference is they are quick learners. I would put Sam in that category," Glaser said in a release.
As a whole, the No. 22 Gators placed fifth at 21-over par.
UF will have to work on finishing strong. For four of the five players for Florida in the tournament, their last round was their worst.
"We struggled a bit today, and it wasn’t the way we wanted to finish," Glaser said.
"You had to have a good game plan for this golf course, and stick to it no matter the circumstances. We didn’t do that very well, and it’s a lesson learned for our team."
Kent State took first place, finishing at 5-under, followed by No. 9 Tennessee (+4), Iowa State (+5), and Ohio State (+16).
After both finished at 6-under, Kent State’s Taylor Kim defeated NC State’s India Clyburn in a playoff to snag the individual win.
But despite falling short on Tuesday, Glaser was pleased to see promise in her younger players.
"It says a lot about our team that we have a sophomore and freshman in contention in the first two events of the season," Glaser said.
"I’m really excited about this team, and our potential. With a commitment to getting better every day, we will accomplish great things."
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Samantha Wagner
