Lady Flyers Hold Strong In Brown Intercollegiate
The Sandhills Community College women's golf team finished eighth in a field of 12 NCAA Division II and III teams at the BrownGolf Intercollegiate held at the Country Club of Whispering Pines on Friday and Saturday.
Parker Watson of the Lady Flyers tied for seventh individually after rounds of 81-86-167 in the field of 67 golfers. Other scores for Coach Herb Pike's squad included: Danielle Washburn 88-87-175 (16th), Amanda Hill 87-92-179 (T-23rd) and Tala Locklear 101-109-210 (T-57th).
"It would definitely mean a lot," Watson said before learning of her top-10 finish. "There are a lot of good teams here and a lot of good players. I feel good to score up there with them."
The medalist was Camden Morrison of second place Franklin Pierce University (N.H.) after rounds of 83-73-156. West Chester University (Pa.) won the team title by 16 strokes on the Pines Course playing at 5,802 yards. The host college, Mercyhurst University (Pa.), came in third.
"They saw that they were right in the middle of the pack after the first day," Pike said of his team's sixth place standing at the halfway mark. "We did some really good things and we have some things we need to work on."
Four teams from Pennsylvania, and two each from New York and New Hampshire, were among those that made the trip south for the tournament that was held at Foxfire Resort and Country Club last year.
"We arrived here Saturday night (March 11) and when we woke up Sunday morning there was snow on the ground so we were a little concerned," West Chester coach Doug Hendricks said following the final round. "Now it's 68 degrees and sunny. We're thankful to be here. The girls learned a lot and we were treated to great southern hospitality."
Hendricks found time during the days leading up to the tournament to catch what he described as a beautiful three-pound large-mouth bass in one of the ponds on the golf course. A two-hour frost delay set back the first tee times on Friday. There was a two-hour rain halt followed by some intermittent precipitation on Saturday before the sun emerged.
The consistent Watson led the Lady Flyers with an 83.7 stroke average in the fall and stands at 83.2 through three events this spring. Tied for third individually after the first round, the freshman product of Smithfield-Selma High School struggled on Saturday, but made a birdie on her 16th hole of the day before finishing with a bogey and a par.
"I'm told that I'm very hard on myself," she says. "I shoot in the low 80's and I'm proud of that, but I definitely don't want to settle there. I think with the mixture of the conditions, the rain and having to cover up our clubs, a lot of us were frustrated with our scores. I tried to finish well."
Like Watson, Hill, a freshman from Orange High School, would like to get the opportunity to continue her golf career at a four-year college. As a junior in high school she changed her concentration in sports from gymnastics to golf and possesses a strong short game. Her career goal is to become a pathologist.
"It does help our confidence to know we can compete against four-year schools," she says.
According to assistant coach Bonnie McGowan, Locklear, a freshman from Purnell Swett High School, has made progress in her ball striking. Putting is the area where she struggles the most. Her goal is to attend UNC-Charlotte after Sandhills to study project management and then join her father in his construction business.
Following Saturday's final round that ended at about 3:30 p.m., the day was only beginning for the Lady Flyers' Washburn.
"The putts really weren't dropping for me today," she said.
She quickly returned to the clubhouse before hopping into a car with her father bound for Raleigh to begin a trip that would take her to Philadelphia and then on to Manchester, England.
After graduating from Glen Allen High School in Lynchburg, Va. Washburn went to Berry College in Georgia on an equestrian scholarship before a back injury and the subsequent surgery ended her career in that sport. She has only been playing competitive golf for a year and a half.
Washburn's boyfriend, Thomas Lawton, is from England, and is currently a member of the Jacksonville State (Fla.) golf team. She has made seven trips there with him and attended last summer's British Open at Royal Troon.
"I've gotten to play some great courses in Scotland, England and Wales," she says. "I'm pretty excited."
In a dual match the week before, the Lady Flyers defeated Capital University of Columbus, Ohio by 54 strokes at Legacy Golf Links in Aberdeen. Watson posted an 81 followed by Washburn and Hill with 83's and Locklear with a 102. Next is the Mimosa Hills Intercollegiate in Morganton on April 2-3.
The Lady Flyers posted a team GPA of 3.14 for the first semester led by Watson at 4.0 They have been regular supporters of the Sandhills volleyball and men's basketball teams.
"We do enjoy going to their games and supporting them," Watson says. "I think it is a very supportive atmosphere here. The teachers and students are great."
By Charlie Bergmann.