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05-31-2008, 04:16 PM
By STAN AWTREY
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/30/08
West Lafayette, Ind. - The answers, my friend, weren't blowing in the wind for the Georgia men's golf team on Friday. Those annoying southwestern breezes, which ranged from 17-25 mph, conspired to dampen the Dogs' hopes of a third national championship.
Georgia isn't out of it, but hurt its chances with a 17-over 305. That leaves the Bulldogs at 37-over 901, 13 shots behind front-running UCLA entering the final round of the NCAA Men's Golf Championships at Purdue University's Kampen Course.
"It just takes a good round and we haven't had a good round yet," said Georgia coach Chris Haack. "We haven't been able to sustain any momentum."
Haack is looking for a flashback from the East Regionals, where each day Georgia had four under-par scores count in the team total. But the Kampen Course, which Clemson coach Larry Pendley called the toughest championship venue ever used, isn't prone to giving up low scores.
Haack reminded his players that quick turnarounds are possible at the national level. He pointed to the Bulldogs' first championship at Hazeltine National in 1999; they trailed Oklahoma State by five shots to start the final round, but had a four-stroke lead after two holes.
"The same thing can happen here," Haack said. "We're by no means out of it."
Georgia must somehow find a way to finish stronger on each nine. They were a combined eight-over on the ninth and 18th holes; each player bogeyed the beastly 484-yard 18th.
"The way the golf course is set up, we'll be fine," junior Adam Mitchell said. "If we can go out and birdie the first couple, then boom, we're right there. We can do it if we play like we're capable."
Georgia's low scorers were Mitchell and Russell Henley, who each shot 75. Brian Harman had a 76 and Hudson Swafford and Harris English both had 79s.
It looked like Mitchell had things going the right way. He was four-under through six holes, a stretch that included an eagle at No. 4. "That's the best I've hit it in a long time," Mitchell said.
But a momentary emotional lapse at No. 7 sent Mitchell into a spin from which he never recovered. The junior, after failing to escape from a long fairway bunker, slammed his club into the sand, which cost him two penalty shots. He wound up with a triple-bogey.
The bad fortune continued on the next hole. After hitting his approach to within six feet, Mitchell's birdie putt hit the cup and spun out. He three-putted No. 9 for a double bogey and made the turn at 37.
"The whole thing snowballed," Mitchell said. "To start out 4 under and end up 1 over, that's not what I wanted to do."
Georgia State's Joel Sjoholm shot a 75, but played well enough to survive the cut and qualify to play in today's final round. Sjoholm, who opened the tournament with two par rounds, had a poor start with bogeys on the first and second holes. He fought back with four birdies, giving him seven birdies and an eagle through 54 holes.
UGA suffers setback in quest for NCAA golf title | ajc.com (http://www.ajc.com/uga/content/sports/uga/stories/2008/05/30/gagolf_0531.html)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/30/08
West Lafayette, Ind. - The answers, my friend, weren't blowing in the wind for the Georgia men's golf team on Friday. Those annoying southwestern breezes, which ranged from 17-25 mph, conspired to dampen the Dogs' hopes of a third national championship.
Georgia isn't out of it, but hurt its chances with a 17-over 305. That leaves the Bulldogs at 37-over 901, 13 shots behind front-running UCLA entering the final round of the NCAA Men's Golf Championships at Purdue University's Kampen Course.
"It just takes a good round and we haven't had a good round yet," said Georgia coach Chris Haack. "We haven't been able to sustain any momentum."
Haack is looking for a flashback from the East Regionals, where each day Georgia had four under-par scores count in the team total. But the Kampen Course, which Clemson coach Larry Pendley called the toughest championship venue ever used, isn't prone to giving up low scores.
Haack reminded his players that quick turnarounds are possible at the national level. He pointed to the Bulldogs' first championship at Hazeltine National in 1999; they trailed Oklahoma State by five shots to start the final round, but had a four-stroke lead after two holes.
"The same thing can happen here," Haack said. "We're by no means out of it."
Georgia must somehow find a way to finish stronger on each nine. They were a combined eight-over on the ninth and 18th holes; each player bogeyed the beastly 484-yard 18th.
"The way the golf course is set up, we'll be fine," junior Adam Mitchell said. "If we can go out and birdie the first couple, then boom, we're right there. We can do it if we play like we're capable."
Georgia's low scorers were Mitchell and Russell Henley, who each shot 75. Brian Harman had a 76 and Hudson Swafford and Harris English both had 79s.
It looked like Mitchell had things going the right way. He was four-under through six holes, a stretch that included an eagle at No. 4. "That's the best I've hit it in a long time," Mitchell said.
But a momentary emotional lapse at No. 7 sent Mitchell into a spin from which he never recovered. The junior, after failing to escape from a long fairway bunker, slammed his club into the sand, which cost him two penalty shots. He wound up with a triple-bogey.
The bad fortune continued on the next hole. After hitting his approach to within six feet, Mitchell's birdie putt hit the cup and spun out. He three-putted No. 9 for a double bogey and made the turn at 37.
"The whole thing snowballed," Mitchell said. "To start out 4 under and end up 1 over, that's not what I wanted to do."
Georgia State's Joel Sjoholm shot a 75, but played well enough to survive the cut and qualify to play in today's final round. Sjoholm, who opened the tournament with two par rounds, had a poor start with bogeys on the first and second holes. He fought back with four birdies, giving him seven birdies and an eagle through 54 holes.
UGA suffers setback in quest for NCAA golf title | ajc.com (http://www.ajc.com/uga/content/sports/uga/stories/2008/05/30/gagolf_0531.html)