Thursday, May 23, 1996
Conditions take toll as Bruins tally worst team score of
seasonBy Christopher Isidro
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
LA QUINTA, Calif. Â Perched behind the 18th green at the
Dunes Course is the climate-controlled clubhouse, a haven for the
weary golfer. No one was more drained than Jenny Park as she
staggered up the home fairway. Stricken by the stomach flu, the
UCLA senior endured dehydration and nausea to get this far.
But for Park, who began her round on the 10th tee, the sight of
the clubhouse was a desert mirage. It would be nine more holes
under 95-degree heat and 30 mph winds before she would actually get
to go inside.
Park was not the only golfer to find opening day of the NCAA
championships difficult, as just 30 of the 96 competitors managed
to break 80. UCLA posted 315 in the first round, its worst score of
the season, but only two strokes off first-place Texas.
"The wind really dried the greens out there," said San Jose
State head coach Marti Gale, whose second-ranked Spartans stand at
11th place. "You could hit some good shots in there and it would
still roll off the green."
Hard greens were the least of Park’s concerns after making the
turn at the clubhouse 7-over-par. And when she hooked her drive
into the left rough of the first tee, Park seemed ready to enjoy
the air-conditioning.
"I was totally out," Park said. "I was ready to quit."
After spending a few moments slumped down in the tee box, Park
slowly meandered to where her ball rested. She proceeded to whip a
fairway wood to within 15 feet of the pin for an eventual par.
On the par-5 second hole, Park again found the rough off the
drive and saw her second shot find the tall grass 60 yards from the
hole. After watching her playing partner Jeanne Marie Busuttil of
Florida pitch to within three feet of the pin from the same
position, Park came up a couple yards short of perfect and saw her
ball roll down the hill.
"It’s really tough when you’re not feeling well," Park said. "I
know I lost concentration on a couple of my approaches."
Park, the stroke-average leader on the UCLA squad, made up for
her mental lapse with a blind pitch shot that landed four feet from
the cup and saved her par.
The remainder of the final nine holes saw Park scramble for her
pars and bogeys. In the home stretch, she hit just one of seven
fairways, but still managed a 3-over-par on the back and a round of
82.
"As soon as my round ended, the first thing I did was look for
the bathroom," Park said. "After that, I thought I was going to
pass out."
Though hers was the worst Bruin score and was thrown out of
consideration by trudging through the round, Park lives to see
another day of competition and ensures herself of a chance at
redemption.
"I know I can go out there and score," Park said. "If I can get
over this thing, then I still feel like I’m in contention."
Other Bruin scores include Kathy Choi and Eunice Choi, who both
shot 78, Amandine Vincent (79) and Jeong Min Park (80).
The tournament continues today with the second round teeing off
at 9 a.m.
"As soon as my round ended, the first thing I did was look for
the bathroom … after that, I thought I was going to pass
out."
Jenny Park
Golfer