Step by step to national recognition.
That's the mission statement Vanderbilt women's golf Coach Martha Freitag wanted to follow when she took over last season.
Yesterday, her team took another big step forward, leaving spike marks on some of the nation's top teams.
Vanderbilt claimed the Mason Rudolph Championships at the Legends Club of Tennessee yesterday, firing a 54-hole team total of 878, nine shots better than second-place Arizona (887).
The Commodores entered yesterday's final round trailing by four shots, but combined for a 291 team total to distance themselves from the field. It was the lowest final round turned in by any team, including Arizona, which won the prestigious NCAA Fall Preview in West Lafayette, Ind., on Sept. 17.
''I told [our team] that Arizona was the one with the target on its back,'' Freitag said. ''We know the course, and we had to go out and play and manage our golf games to give us putts for birdies. They played aggressive and smart. This was truly a team win.''
Former Brentwood High standout Courtney Wood (2 under) took individual honors with a closing score of 69. The junior was the only player to finish under par.
''I think I'm getting a lot better with being patient,'' said Wood, whose first-round 77 and second-round 68 both came Monday, when players played 36 holes. ''I played bad that first round, but knew I still had 18 holes to play. I sat down for three minutes and then went back out. I started hitting it completely different. It was like a new day. It was weird.''
Three other Vanderbilt golfers finished in the top 13, helping the Commodores to build a cushion and erase any chance for a late Arizona surge. Nikki Cutler finished in a tie for 13th, bolstered by a second-round 70 on Monday, and the always steady Sarah Jacobs fired rounds of 73, 75, 74 to finish in a tie for fifth.
Vanderbilt freshman May Wood proved why she was one of the nation's top high school seniors last year, carding a 72 and 73 in the final two rounds to finish alone in fourth place. Wood made the turn at 4 over but played the final nine holes in 3 under.
Joni Gossett rounded out the Vanderbilt scoring, finishing with a 229 three-round total, good enough for a tie for 22nd. Her lowest round (75) came yesterday when her team needed it most.
|
