Gamecocks women’s team aims for new heights
Kalen Anderson talks about “keep building on what we’ve been doing” in discussing her USC women’s golf team, and the philosophy works.
After all, those Gamecocks are forging what could be the program’s best season ever.
Why change now?
The Gamecocks join 17 other teams in the NCAA East Regional this week, and most groups will be satisfied with a top-six finish and a place in the national tournament.
The goal for USC, the tournament’s top seed, is higher.
“Obviously, being one of the six (to advance) is most important,” Anderson said in previewing the Regional that begins Thursday in Raleigh. “But what I’m looking for my team is to be in the mindset to win. We want to have fun, compete and win. That’s our motivation.”
Carolina will be looking for its third regional championship and seventh trip to the nationals in Anderson’s eight seasons.
Her teams always have peaked at national tournament time, but the past two squads have changed the trend – playing well early and maintaining that pace. These Gamecocks have placed in the top five in all nine of their stroke-play events this year with two wins and a second-place finish in the SEC Championship.
They climbed to No. 1 in the polls after a season-opening win over a stellar field in the ANNIKA Intercollegiate and head into the nationals ranked No. 2.
“I have a really good feeling about the way we’re playing right now,” Anderson said. “You never know what you’re going to get in golf. You can run into a hot team or get some back breaks. But I’m happy with where we are.”
Sophomore Katelyn Dambaugh and senior Justine Dreher are ranked one-two in the school record book for career scoring average (minimum of 55 rounds), and Dreher is on pace to break USC’s single-season scoring mark.
Junior Sarah Schmelzel, fourth in career scoring, has been steady since returning from an injury. Junior Mary Fran Hillow has shown her potential by setting the school record with a 65 (since matched by Dambaugh), and sophomore Jia Xin Yang tied for 21st in the SEC.
Remember, the Gamecocks continued to thrive after freshman star Nanna Madsen turned professional after the first semester.
“We want to stay in the present and not get ahead of ourselves, but we’re where we need to be,” Anderson said. “I’m very confident and comfortable with this team.”
New champs due at Camden: The CGA’s Carolinas Four-Ball tourney makes its annual stop at Camden Country Club this week with a new championship team guaranteed.
Jonathan Jackson (Chapel Hill, N.C.) lost partner Matthew Crenshaw (Burlington, N.C.) to injury and will be joined by Banks Wood (Charlotte) this year.
Two-time runners-up and 2013 champions Paul Tucker (Waxhaw, N.C.) and Brent Roof (Columbia), Walter Todd Sr. and Walt Todd Jr. (Laurens), and Bill Smunk (Kingstree) and Mike Mahoney (Greeleyville) will be among the top teams.
After two rounds of stroke-play qualifying Wednesday and Thursday, the field will be cut to 32 teams for match play.
Chip shots: USC, sixth in the Golfstat Relative Rankings, remains in the running for a top seed in one of the NCAA Men’s Championship’s six regionals. The regional sites will be announced on the Golf Channel at 10 a.m. Monday. ... Winners in the Columbia Golfweek Amateur tourney at Carolina Lakes GC: Dan Wanner (A flight), Randy Tame (B flight), Scott Crosby (C flight) and Tom Haddad (D flight). Call John Liovoti (866-918-4653) for information. ... Lakeside CC (Laurens) won the SCGA’s Trescott Cup and shared first place with Holly Tree CC (Simpsonville) in the event’s pro-am. ... Rick Cloninger (Fort Mill) teamed with Jim Grainger (Charlotte) to capture the CGA’s Senior Four-Ball title. ... Lea Venable (Laurens) will team with Mallory Hetzel (Waynesville, N.C.), and Dawn Woodard (Greer) will join Meghan Stasti (Oakland Park, Fla.) in the USGA’s first Women’s Four-Ball that starts Saturday at Brandon Dunes in Oregon.
This story was originally published May 2, 2015 at 10:57 PM with the headline "Gamecocks women’s team aims for new heights."