A team, undefeated, at Gannon University and not many people are probably aware of it. To me, that is ridiculous. However, I think that is our reality right now.
In case you have been kept in the dark, the 2016-17 Gannon University women’s golf team has been tearing up the fairway this season.
So far, the Knights have competed in four invitationals, one of which was the Corbett Classic that Gannon hosted at Lake Shore Country Club, and they have placed first as a team in each of them.
The most recent outing was last week’s Allegheny Invitational. After day one, Gannon was at the top of the team leader board and freshman Carley Sawyer sat two strokes behind the leader individually with a score of 77, making that her second best score of the season.
Senior Diana Munoz tied for third place with a score of 78 after day one, only to come back in day two and be crowned the individual medalist with a two-round total of 151.
Sophomore Rebecca Red Horse followed up in sixth with 79 and junior Manuela Quevedo and sophomore Julia Santo tied for 11th place with a score of 82.
The next day, Munoz claimed the top spot with a score of 73, five strokes lower than she shot before. Sawyer came in fifth shooting 84. Quevedo placed seventh with a score of 80, two strokes less than the day prior. Santo came in 11th for the second day in a row shooting an 83.
Freshman Megan Fessler improved from day one by dropping 13 strokes, moving from a 100 on day one to a score of 87 on day two for a combined total of 187.
Junior Nicole Filipski stayed relatively even between the two days, shooting 90 the first day and 91 on the second. Junior Nicole Richards shot a 94 each day, landing her in 46th place among 76 golfers.
I think it’s awesome that these women have done so well, not to mention Quevedo shot the second hole-in-one of her life earlier this season and the team has been performing at the top of each invitational it has competed in.
Golf definitely isn’t an easy game and is highly mental because it’s just you, the course and the elements out there. So coming out on top in a field of 76 golfers is no small feat.
I’ve always been interested in golf and used to play until I gave it up to focus on baseball. However, one thing I learned is that it is one of the most frustrating of all games.
Let me paint you a picture: so you step up to the tee, take some practice swings and line up to take your shot. Finally you take every bit of confidence you have and put what you think is the cleanest possible swing on the ball — and you shank it into the trees.
Now your reality is getting that ball out of the woods, while avoiding a ground wasp nest and making par at the same time. Sounds easy, right? Wrong.
However, another thing I remember is the feeling when you bomb one down the fairway, and sink a long putt or chip one off the rough and into the hole.
It seems like the women’s golf team is having more positive times than negative and I hope they keep it up.
BRANDON JACES
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