Women’s Golf Continues to Improve at Kiawah Island Classic

- J. Andrew Lockwood -
Senior Editor of The Bear Zone/ Sports Columnist
james.andrew.lockwood@student.mercer.edu

Playing top notch opponents has its drawbacks.  In a sport as harsh as golf can be, focusing on self improvement rather than your position relative to the field can make all the difference in a teams’ attitude.  For Gary Guyer’s women’s golfers, the first two tournaments this spring could be viewed by many as disastrous, but a closer look at the stats will reveal steady improvement from the first day up to the final day.

            The always positive Guyer said after their most recent tournament in Kiawah Island, South Carolina, “Today the girls hit some magnificent shots and played extremely well at times.  We just need to find a way to keep it going.  High scores on a few holes are just killing us but we have a solid game plan and know what shot to hit.  Our execution needs to be better.”  Commenting on the girls’ improvement throughout both tournaments, he added, “It was good to see the girls play better as the week went on, but we need to be more consistent every time we go out on the golf course.”

            Consistency will be key at their next tournament in Vallejo, California over spring break.  At times, all five golfers had extremely consistent rounds, but other days their scores left everyone scratching their heads.  At Kiawah Island, Alex Quagliata and Monica Kelsey would score 78’s on the final day, a vast improvement from the first day of the tournament where the best team scores were in the high 80’s.  Junior Carolyn Levy also had a her best round of the tournament on the third day with a 79.  Finishing in a sandwich between Bradley University (40^th) and Marshall University (42^nd), the Bears hope to catch the field at the Hiddenbrook Intercollegiate in California by surprise.

            The Bears will most likely travel with freshmen Leslie Choucard and Alicia Poole, two players who have vastly improved their golf game in their second semester at Mercer.  Juniors Kelsey, Quagliata, and Levy will anchor Guyer’s lineup as they return to the west coast for the second year in a row. 

            “I was glad to finish [Kiawah Island] strong despite a rough first day,” said Kelsey.  She went on to add, “It was good to see improvement, especially the last day.  We are learning to take what we bring to the golf course that day and make the most of it.  Playing in California is always a unique experience and will certainly challenge our games in a new way.”

            After California, the team will finish up with the Larry Nelson Collegiate in Braselton, Georgia before heading to the A-Sun Conference Championship in DeLand, Florida on April 13-15.