NCAA Women’s Golf: Burger Slips On Day Two
By Danny Bishop
Emilie Burger, Photo by Sonny Kennedy, http://www.sonnykennedyphotography.com/
Three bad swings proved extremely costly for Georgia’s Emilie Burger in the second round of the NCAA Championships at the University of Georgia Golf Course on Wednesday. Those errant efforts turned a solid day into a 5-over 77 as Burger dropped from 64th to 89th on the individual leaderboard as the tournament’s midway point approached.
Play was suspended at 4:58 for just over two hours with Burger on her 17th hole of the day, No. 8. She finished her loop after play resumed but sirens sounded again just after 8:00 p.m. to end the day with four groups remaining on the course.
“I had three really bad swings today and those really cost me,” Burger said. “Other than that, I played pretty well.”
Because of those swings, Burger quadruple-bogeyed No. 13 and double-bogeyed No. 8.
“Those three shots cost her six strokes,” head coach Josh Brewer said. “Take that away and she’s 1-under on the day and 2-over for the tournament without really making a putt for two days.
“The next two days will be hard,” Brewer continued. “She’s got to put on that professional face and go out and put on a good show. Why not be low the last 36 holes of the Championships? She struggled the first two days but could still play great the last two.”
Burger teed off from No. 10 and played the back side of the course first. She bogeyed her opening hole and posted back-to-back pars before a disastrous No. 13.
Burger’s tee shot came up short of the green in the water. An attempt from the drop zone also found the lake before a second effort landed 15 feet short of the pin. From there, Burger two-putt for a seven.
Emilie Burger, Photo by Sonny Kennedy, http://www.sonnykennedyphotography.com/
Burger settled down with five consecutive pars to finish the back side of the course and then notched two more following her turn. She then registered her first red number of the afternoon with a birdie at No. 3 and another at No. 5 to climb within 3-over on the day.
The bad tee shot at No. 8 came just before a 2:03 weather delay. When she returned to the course, Burger lost credit for both her birdies with the double-bogey at No. 8.
“It really didn’t matter that it was so late in the round,” Burger said. “You just have to keep focused on what you have to do.”
All photos copyrighted property of Sonny Kennedy, http://www.sonnykennedyphotography.com/