I'll let Dan fill in the details, but Rose finished T-17th overall, leading her team to an 8th-place finish in the team race. With a roster full of underclassmen (including Rose, a junior), expect the Titans to make a return visit to the NCAAs.
Just filed my daily report to an email list of friends.
Here's what I said:
Dear Fans of Rose,
One of my favorite sportscasters, Al Shaver, always ended his sportscasts as follows:
"When you lose, say little. When you win, say less."
So I will say little.
Rose had a fine front nine today: a 1-over-par 37 -- including a very unfortunate bogey and double-bogey, both the result of missed short putts, followed by two excellent birdies.
10 and 11: two good up-and-down pars.
And that's when the trouble started.
Her drive on the 3rd hole (her 12th) was just left, and bounded into the rough until it came into perfect contact with the roots of a very large deciduous tree. And there it decided to rest. Terrible break. She punched out, hit the green with a fine third, and made bogey. No tragedy. Still just 2-over-par.
On the 4th, her drive was very slightly right, took a crazy-bad bounce right and ended up blocked by a Stupid Tree (one of those Christmas tree pines that ignorant green committees planted on courses from coast to coast). Rose hit that tree with her recovery (mistake hers), but then hit a fine mid-iron to the green ... and proceeded to three-putt from 25 feet (the second putt being at most a 3-footer). Double bogey. Tragedy nearing.
On the 5th, she made a routine par-5 -- missing a birdie by an inch on a 12-footer.
On the 6th, an uphill par-3 with a long, narrow green, with the pin way back right, she aimed at the center of the green, pushed it just a bit, came up one yard short of the green and kicked hard right, down an embankment. Nice pitch up, to 5 feet. A fellow-competitor on the same line hit a weak putt that curled away hard to the right. Rose hit a firm putt through the break and missed on the high side. Bogey. 5-over.
On the 7th, she absolutely nailed a drive. Longest of the week. But, unfortunately, a few yards left of the fairway -- and just long enough to be completely blocked by another Stupid Tree (Merry Christmas!). She tried to loft a 9-iron over it, but hit it thin -- and into the Stupid Tree it went, emerging on the other side by inches. Restricted backswing; punch it out. Hybrid from 190 just short of the green. Pitch up to the green. Two putts. Another double-bogey. 7-over.
The 8th, she played perfectly. Perfect tee shot, fine second, 20 feet for birdie -- just missed!
On the 9th, after a long wait while the group ahead searched for a lost ball, she hit a drive just right ... and, as you might have guessed, just exactly the right distance off the tee and distance off the fairway to put her in the grips of another Stupid Tree. Punch out, iron to the green, two putts -- bogey.
37-43 = 80.
She was really mad at herself for finishing poorly, though it didn't hurt the team, which would have finished 8th no matter what she did on the back nine.
REALLY bad luck. Couple of questionable decisions. And it was all over. She finished tied for 17th of 101 players.
Thanks.
Dan
P.S. I still really like the Zollner Course, which was in impeccable condition and presented a wide array of interesting challenges. But those Christmas trees have to go!
P.P.S. Next year, I hope to say less. Much less!