2003-04 GFM at NCAA Central Regional -- Notes & Quotes
5/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Q U O T E S
Michigan Coach Kathy Teichert
On Laura Olin's regional tournament ... "I have to give her a lot of credit. She led us all year, and for her to make it to the regional is a great accomplishment. Overall, I think she put a lot of pressure on herself to play well and I think that cost her. She did play well, but she needs to make sure she hits some birdies in each round to really make a move. When she relaxed she played patient golf and really struck the ball well. She just needed to capitalize on some of her opportunities."
Junior Laura Olin
On her final round of the regional ... "Today I just had some problems from the start. I seemed to be rushing in the last three rounds and I was just not trusting my swing. I did not play my game, but I hung in there the best I could. I can only be happy to be here and to have a chance to play with some of the top girls in our region."
On the regional experience ... "It was a great experience. Again, to get a chance to play against some of the top girls in the region and hang with them feels really good. I learned a lot. But I will say that I did miss not being here with the whole team. I learned that is difficult to advance to the NCAA Championships without your team."
On reflecting on her season ... "I definitely hit and accomplished some of my goals. I wanted to win a tournament individually and I did that twice. I wanted to win another team title and we did that. I wanted to make it to regional, which I did, but I wish it was with the team. But I think overall I did get to where I wanted to this season. I think making the regional really was the icing on the cake. This team does have a bright future. We are young and we added some more depth for next year. So, hopefully we can work hard this summer and learn from some of the things that happened this past season to get to the regional and to nationals next season."
N O T E S
Laura Olin played in her third NCAA postseason tournament and second regional.
Laura Olin recorded 34 pars out of 54 holes and made two birdies in the second round. The remaining 18 holes were recorded as bogeys.
Laura Olin's first-round 75 matched her third best score in the NCAA postseason. She has twice fired 74s in NCAA play and now has three NCAA rounds of 75 in her career.
Laura Olin's 229 NCAA Central Regional performance set a new postseason 54-hole personal best. Her 2004 performance topped the 234 total she had in the 2002 NCAA Central Regional (May 9-11) at Forest Akers West Golf Course in East Lansing, Mich.
Laura Olin finished the season averaging 76.71 per round, just missing the U-M record for stroke average in a season. However, Olin remains the Maize and Blue's career scoring average leader at 77.00 per round. Former Wolverine Kim Benedict (2000-03) set the all-time season mark in 2001-02 with a 76.49 scoring average.
Laura Olin finished second among the three invited individual players at the NCAA Central Regional. Wisconsin's Malinda Johnson finished with a 227 total (79-77-71), Olin tallied a 229 (75-76-78) and Arkansas-Little Rock's Linda Svensson had a 244 (82-85-77).
Laura Olin extended her consecutive tournament streak to 38 by playing at the 2004 NCAA Central Regional. She has not missed a tournament in her three seasons.
Wolverine sophomore Amy Schmucker (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori HS) drove down to watch Laura Olin's final two rounds.
For inspiration, Michigan coach Kathy Teichert and Laura Olin went to watch "Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius," the new film about the life of Jones, who is the only golfer in history to win the Grand Slam in single year.
