In May, women’s golf coach Jan Dowling said her team needed to believe in itself after a disappointing finish in 2009-10.
Unfortunately, the 2010-11 campaign began on a similar note.
No. 19 Florida opened the season Monday with the inaugural Labor Day Shootout hosted by Jacksonville University. The tournament was held at the renowned Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, home of The Players Championship.
“It’s one of the toughest golf courses in the country, maybe the world,” UF coach Jan Dowling said of the TPC layout. “You have got to hit great golf shots and be conservative with your targets.”
The Gators started fast, jumping out to an 11-shot lead over their closest competitor, Coastal Carolina. After nine holes, they were under par and in position to compete for a victory in the first tournament of the year.
But the team struggled on the treacherous back nine shooting a combined 21 strokes over par. Florida’s total of 308 (+20) put them in second place after the first round, trailing Coastal Carolina by two.
The rest of the relatively small field consisted of JU, Chattanooga, UCF and USC Upstate. The event was scheduled for 36 holes, however impending darkness forced the tournament to be shortened to 27 holes.
Junior Andrea Watts shared the individual lead after the first round after shooting a 73 (+1). She was -2 coming down the stretch but a double-bogey on the par-five 16th and a bogey at the infamous island-green 17th proved costly.
As it often does at the beach-side Stadium Course, a strong sea breeze kicked up in the afternoon and contributed to the already tough conditions, coach Dowling said.
Watts felt the effects as she labored through her second round to shoot 44 (+8) over nine holes. Her overall score of 117 (+9) put her in a tie for seventh in the individual standings and led all Gator golfers.
“The golf course is notorious for big numbers,” Dowling said. “We definitely fell victim to that in the afternoon.”
Sophomore Mia Piccio is a testament. After opening with an even-par 36, Piccio shot 41-43, including a triple bogey on her last hole, to finish at 120 (+12).
Senior Jessica Yadloczky had a similar showing with nine-hole scores of 35-42-41 to finish at 118 (+10).
Evan Jensen was the lone bright spot of the afternoon. The junior from Belleair, Fla. struggled early, opening with a 45 (+9), but closed with 36-39 for a total of 120 (+12).
It wasn’t enough.
UF shot +20 for nine holes in the shortened second round, finishing in a tie for second place at 472 (+40) with Chattanooga, eight shots behind Coastal Carolina.
The Gators entered the tournament as the only team ranked in the Golf World/NGCA preseason poll. Although they didn’t discuss it together, Dowling said her team expected to win.
“Things don’t always work out as you expect them to,” she said. “I think the team is disappointed.”
Sophomore Isabelle Lendl, No. 83 in Golfweek’s individual rankings, finished with 38-43-41 for 122 (+14). Fellow sophomore Megan Pak led all individual entries with a total of 121 (+13).
