Bulls riding winning wave
Ranked No. 21 in the country, the USF women’s golf team is off to its best start this season and hoping to use this momentum with a win at the Green Wave Invitational in New Orleans.
The tournament is hosted by Tulane and will feature teams from Alabama, Ole Miss, University of New Orleans, Mississippi State, University of Central Florida, Campbell and TCU. It will take place Monday and Tuesday at the English Turn Country Club, which is a PGA Tour course.
The team is coming back from its best fall start in history, according to coach Susan Holt, after placing first, sixth and second twice, while maintaining a team stroke average of 299.5.
Holt said that the team is on top of its game right now.
“Everyone that’s going to be making the trip has their personal best stroke average at USF so far,” she said.
Holt said that she feels pretty good about having a chance to win the tournament and continue the pace from the fall season.
“It has been a team effort all along, so everyone is going to have to show up,” Holt said.
The team also has three veteran players in seniors Kelly Martin, Katie Ruhe and Fany Schaeffer.
“I think that our senior leadership has kind of driven us this far, and I think we are going to need that to continue,” Holt said.
The Green Wave Invitational is going to be the team’s first tournament since its win at the Pat Bradley Invitational in November. The team returned to practice the second week of January by focusing on chipping and putting.
“I think what we do to help ourselves is to work on our short game because after an extended break — that’s where over 65 percent of your strokes are at,” Holt said. “That’s probably the quickest way we’re trying to feel like we can get back up to speed.
“This tournament should set the pace for the spring season. It’s real important for us to come out and to play well,” Holt said.
The tournament begins with 36 holes Monday and continues with 18 holes Tuesday.