Lady Flyers Golfers Wind Up a Solid Fall Campaign at St. Andrews Fall Invitational on October 29-30
As the fall season winds down for the Sandhills Community College women's golf team, sophomores Shirley Ou and Danielle Mirovich have a firm hold on the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in Coach Herb Pike's lineup.
Ou, who earned honorable mention All-American honors after her 14th place finish at the NJCAA National Championships in Mesa, Arizona last June, shot 74-72-146 last week at the Davidson Intercollegiate held at Asheboro Country Club. Freshman Morgan McRae put on her best performance as a Lady Flyer, finishing second with scores of 81-78-159.
Mirovich posted 81-80-161 to come in third. Her scoring average of 82.8 through three tournaments is second to Ou's 76.4. McRae, a product of Lee County High School, gives the Flyers a solid top three with an average of 85.3. The team's other sophomore, Alicia Dunlap, shot a 91 in the second round in Asheboro for her best 18-hole score as a Flyer.
Earlier this week the team held a practice round at Scotch Meadows Country Club in Laurinburg where the team will close out the fall season on October 29-30 at the St. Andrews Fall Invitational.
A member of the golf and basketball teams at Mount Pleasant High School, the 5-foot-11 Mirovich talked about her game, and the team, between sets of Tuesday's volleyball match at the Hangar against Johnson and Wales. In holding down the No. 2 spot behind Ou, she is succeeding the graduated Parker Watson who also contributed to the team's 10th place finish at the national tournament that was the best in the history of the program.
"Yes, we miss Parker, but I feel we have a good team this year," Mirovich said. "We have a lot of people shooting in the 70's so I 'm hoping we just keep getting better and better as time goes on.
"If I just stop three-putting so much I'll hopefully be in the 70's consistently. That's my goal to shoot more in the 70's this year."
Pike and assistant coach Bonnie McGowan have set a team goal of no more than 16 putts for each nine holes. They also want Mirovich and the others to be more deliberate in their decision-making about each shot.
"Danielle has always had the talent," Pike says. "She's worked on her putting stroke and now it's a lot more rhythmic. I encourage her to think about what she's capable of and to think more about how to play holes. I tell her all the time, 'visualize, visualize'."
The other first-year players are Green Hope High School graduate Lauren Nee, who shot a season-best 80 in the second round at the Cutter Creek Invitational early last month, Taylor Pratte, who moved to Southern Pines with her family from York, Pa., and Avery County High School grad, Millie Bumgarner.
Ou and Mirovich have both earned the opportunity with their play to transfer to four-year colleges and play more golf next year.
"They're all improving," Pike says. "Shirley shot 74-72 and was not happy knowing she knew she could have done better. She's so systematic in her routine and she's going to keep getting better.
"Morgan made an eight on the first hole in the second round at the Davidson Invitational and finished with a 78. Taylor and Lauren aren't long, but have good potential."
Davidson Intercollegiate Oct. 8-9 – Team Results – 1. Sandhills (no other complete teams); SCC Individual Results – 1. Ou 74-72-146, 2. McRae 81-78-159, 3. Mirovich 81-80-161, Pratte 89-99-188, Nee 95-93-188, Dunlap 107-91-198.
Myrtle Beach Intercollegiate Oct. 2-3 –Team Results - 1. Newberry 307-299-606. 12. Sandhills 354-349-703; SCC Individual Scores – 36. Mirovich 86-78-164, 55. McRae 89-89-178, T-62 Pratte 104-89-193, Nee 100-93-193, Ou 79, WD.
Cutter Creek Invitational Sept. 10-11 (day two not completed by all golfers because of lightning) – Team Results – 1. Mount Olive 316, 6. Sandhills 346; SCC Individual Results (completed both rounds) – Ou 78-79-157, Nee 87-80-167, Mirovich 91-81-172, Pratte 91-91-182.
C.Bergmann