ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – Florida coach Jill Briles-Hinton went through a range of emotions the day Sandra Gal earned her LPGA card, “crying one minute and smiling from ear to ear the next.”
She’d just lost one of the best players to come through Gainesville in recent years a semester too soon. There’s no question Florida’s postseason fortunes took a major hit with Gal’s decision to turn professional before finishing out her senior year.
What happened at Florida raises questions about whether or not coaches should allow players to sign up for Q-School mid-year. UNLV’s Seung-Su Han also made it to the finals of PGA Tour Q-School, but decided to return to campus after only earning partial Nationwide status.
I tend to think that players should wait to finish the spring season before attempting Q-School. They’ve signed a contract and received a scholarship so their loyalty should be toward the school. But, that’s not what this column is about.
The talented Gal made her decision. Now, how will her teammates react?
Bitterness? Not even close. Self-doubt? Not a hint.
One would think Gal’s departure might cause the Gators to lower their expectations. Might cause them to question their coach for letting Gal play in Q-School or blame Sandra for not being a team player.
That couldn’t be further from the truth.
“We lost such a great player it’s kind of unfortunate, but in all honesty I’m happy for her and I’m glad she did it,” senior Tiffany Chudy (pictured) said. “It’s hard to say to someone, no matter what the other consequences are, that when they achieve their goal it’s a bad thing.”
Both Chudy and freshman Jessica Yadloczky are playing in this week’s South Atlantic Amateur and are currently tied for fourth at 1-over 145. They also share the belief that everyone on the Gator squad is prepared to “step it up” this spring.
Briles-Hinton went so far as to say that her team will pick up where it left off. That’s a tall order for the nation’s fifth-ranked team that lost a first-team All-American.
Chudy, who shot 71-74 in the first two rounds at Ormond Beach, said her team had a habit of leaning on Gal to a fault. This fall Florida won the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Classic, with Gal taking medalist honors. They also finished runner-up at the Wildcat Fall Invitational and third at the Ann Rhoads Intercollegiate where Yadloczky carded a school-record 67.
“We just need to step up our games and play to our potential rather than relying on (Gal) so much,” Chudy said.
Yadloczky, a freshman from Casselberry, Fla., who is No. 32 in the
Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings, led the Sally after Day 1 with a 3-under 69. She struggled with her irons Thursday but has nothing but winning on her mind. Last year she finished runner-up at this event. A victory here could catapult her into a spring season that may end with SEC Freshman of the Year honors if she can catch Auburn’s Cydney Clanton (No. 11).
Yadloczky said the team plans to work twice as hard to make up for the loss of Gal. She seems up for the added pressure after playing in nine events on the Duramed Futures Tour last year as a tune-up for college. Yadloczky tied for ninth at the Betty Puskar Golf Classic and only missed the cut twice.
“Playing on the Futures Tour just made me feel more comfortable on the course no matter what kind of pressure is on me,” Yadloczky said. “I recommend playing against better players.”
Senior Whitney Myers, No. 27, is the highest-ranked Gator coming back this spring. Briles-Hinton expects her lineup to receive an immediate boost from Hannah Yun, a 15-year-old freshman who arrived in Gainesville on Monday. It’s hard to believe that a player who doesn’t even have her driver’s license will fill Gal’s shoes, but you’ve got to love the Gators’ positive outlook.
Last year Florida was highest-ranked team that failed to qualify for the NCAA Championship. They’ll do anything to keep that from happening again.
Briles-Hinton smiled at Q-School because one of her own achieved a dream. She also cried because she knew how good this team could be with Gal at the helm and Yun providing a midseason boost.
But there are no more tears in Gainesville and none on the range in Ormond Beach. This is a determined Gator team that has no time for bitterness, no use for negative energy.
Gal must be grateful for that.
Posted: 1/10/2008
print
email
discuss
