The women’s golf team has nowhere to go but up this weekend at the ACC Championship, which will take place at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., Friday through Sunday. The Pack is coming off its worst collective finish of the year at the Bryan National Collegiate, in which it placed 17th of 18 teams.
The State players surprised themselves last year at ACCs, which was held at the same course, after finishing fourth of nine teams. Senior Kathleen Strandberg said the team is trying to find a similar spark and believes it has the potential to do so.
“Last year we played really well here, so we all feel really good coming in,” Strandberg said. “We can do it. We just haven’t put it together yet. We’ve all had good rounds; we just haven’t all had them together at once.”
Defending ACC Champion Wake Forest – which includes Cheyenne Woods, Tiger Woods’ niece and winner of the Bryan National Collegiate – will be there and ready to crush the Pack’s comeback hopes on its hometown course.
The Sedgefield course is the only one on the PGA tour designed by Donald Ross, who famously favored crowned or “turtleback” greens. The backs of these steeply sloped greens frequently give unsuspecting golfers trouble, and junior Julie Saleeby said this is something she and her teammates have prepared for.
“The greens are pretty difficult,” Saleeby said. “Our superintendent for our short game as been really great. He has been working really hard to get them similar to how the greens here will be running. We’ve been out there a lot preparing for how fast they will be out here.”
Sophomore Meghan Chapman led her team in most statistical categories during an off year. She scored the Pack’s best individual finish when she took ninth place at the Pinehurst Challenge March 23. Another strong performance from Chapman could help State exceed expectations for the second year in a row.
Seniors Emily Street and Strandberg are right behind her on the leader board. Though they, like everyone on the team, have struggled at times this season, Saleeby said the ACC Tournament is the perfect setting for the veterans to step up and finish off their college careers strong.
“They deserve it,” Saleeby said. “They have been great leaders and great role models, for me especially.”
Strandberg said this isn’t just another tournament for her and her fellow seniors.
“Being so close to the end has kind of changed my attitude,” Strandberg said. “I’m really enjoying every moment now because this is it.”
State will start in the second wave of teams today at 9:20 a.m. along with Virginia and Florida State. Fans can follow the scores live at golfstat.com.
