After three tournaments in four weeks, the Gators are no strangers to the physical challenges of a rigorous, professional-style schedule.
UF has muscled itself through marathons of 36-hole days in New Orleans and Lecanto, and it will face that same challenge again on March 11 for the first day of the SunTrust Gator Invitational at Mark Bostick Golf Course.
“We talked a little bit about how to manage this long stretch that we went through and sort of managing your energy and your emotions,” coach Emily Glaser said Monday.
“I think it’s important that we’ve had those opportunities to play 36, and that’ll give us at least an idea of what to expect in a couple of weeks.”
Through the brutal schedule UF has played, it has learned some lessons, botching a late lead in Palos Verdes and coming up 11 strokes shy of first in New Orleans.
Taylor Tomlinson, who took a share of first place in Palos Verdes, took a tumble in her personal game in the next tournament in New Orleans, finishing 8 over after struggling through a 5-over first round. Glaser said that she and assistant coach Janice Olivencia will talk with Tomlinson about consistency.
“There’s no doubt that she’s talented,” Glaser said. “Winning that event in (Palos Verdes) just proves how talented she was. That was a field that was packed with All-Americans.”
Meanwhile, Maria Torres, one of the senior leaders of the team, will hope to continue her consistent play in Gainesville on March 11 and 12. Last year at the Gator Invitational, Torres tied for fifth individually on the way to leading UF to its 19th team title in the event’s history with an 11-stroke win over FSU.
“The thing I love about coaching Maria is that we played 36 holes that second day in New Orleans, and immediately after we got off the golf course, we were sort of already talking about ways to improve,” Glaser said. “That’s the great thing about Maria: She’s constantly looking for ways to improve, and you can really give her honest, straightforward feedback.”
Glaser said her team is prepared for the challenges and pressures that come with grinding through a 36-hole day.
“There’s an art to it, to a certain extent, of sort of managing the day,” Glaser said. “I think we’re on the upswing of confidence, but I think we can build more.”
Contact Morgan McMullen at mmcmullen@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @morganmcmuffin.
Taylor Tomlinson putts during the 2015 SunTrust Gator Invitational at UF's Mark Bostick Golf Course.
