University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Ocean Course Invitational Day 1
Tar Heels Open Season Monday At The Ocean Course Invitational
September 3, 2017 | Women's Golf
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. - The University of North Carolina women's golf team begins its 2017-18 season at the Ocean Course Invitational, hosted by the College of Charleston, Monday. The Tar Heels claimed their 44th all-time tournament title last season at the Cougar Classic hosted by Charleston. This season, the tournament will be held at the Ocean Course while Yeamans Hall, the usual site of competition, undergoes construction.
Carolina's starting five will be Bryana Nguyen, a senior from Columbia Md., Kelly Whaley, a junior from Farmington, Conn., Brynn Walker, a sophomore from St. David's, Pa., Ava Bergner, a freshman from Ketsch, Germany and Clementina Rodriguez, a junior from Caracas, Venezuela. Mariana Ocano, a sophomore from St. Petersburg, Fla., will be competing as an individual.
A strong early-season field awaits the Tar Heels at Kiawah Island. Carolina is joined by Boston College, Florida State, NC State and Wake Forest from the ACC. Florida, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt will compete out of the SEC. Charleston Southern, Elon, Maryland, North Florida, UCF and host College of Charleston round out the field.
Whaley's historic performance led the Tar Heels last season at the Cougar Classic, as she tied Carolina records for individual round (66) and individual round vs. par (-6) in the second round on her way to capturing the tournament's individual title.
This season's trip to South Carolina presents a more difficult challenge for the Tar Heels than Yeamans Hall, as the Ocean Course, the site of the 1991 Ryder Cup, features several holes right on the water at Kiawah Island.
"Yeamans Hall is just basically right in front of you," Head Coach Jan Mann said. "There's not a lot of trouble. Anybody that's been to the Ocean Course knows that if the wind picks up, it can become pretty brutal. You've got to pretty much keep it in the fairway, and then with the wind it can become a very difficult golf course."
The early tournament will certainly test where the strengths and weaknesses lie for the 2017-18 Tar Heels.
TEAM PREVIEW
Nguyen, the lone senior on the 2017-18 squad, Whaley and Walker are Carolina's three returners who competed in last season's NCAA Championships. The Tar Heels finished just one stroke shy of qualifying for match play, ultimately claiming ninth. The finish was Carolina's best since 2011, but this year's team is itching to get back to the final weekend.
"I know our players who have been to the NCAA championships, and particularly last year getting so close to the final eight, missing it by one, they're ready to get back," Mann said. "It is definitely motivation to get back."
Bergner and Rodriguez, the two newcomers, impressed in qualifying to claim spots in the starting five for the first tournament. Bergner is a talented freshman with a wealth of national, European and international golf experience, while Rodriguez was a member of the Washington Huskies team when they claimed the national championship in 2015.
"I think Clementina is very consistent," Mann said. "Ava, she's gotten better each time that she's qualified. So I think she's getting more and more comfortable. But I think they're going to be a big help to us, both of them."
Mann said she believes this team has all of the pieces to be successful and is excited to see what this group can do on the golf course.
"I feel like the chemistry on this team is the best I've had in a while," Mann said. "Just the personalities of the young ladies, they're all very competitive, but they're also very respectful, and they're coachable and they're having fun together."
A big factor for the Tar Heels will be the addition of Associate Head Coach Aimee Neff. Neff joined the Carolina coaching staff after the departure of Leah Buchmann, who stepped down from the position in May to focus on family. She brings a young, high-energy personality to the staff with a focus on building relationships, which was the deciding factor for Mann in hiring Neff.
"That's what I base my programs around," Mann said. "It's hard to inspire someone if you're not close to them. She really does a great job there. She's meticulous in what she does. I can't give her enough, so that's great. She's been able to take some of my responsibilities, and I've been able to let her do some of that, which has made it easier for me, and I can concentrate on the things that I love to concentrate on. She's just got such a strong character. I'm pleased to be working with her and I'm excited that the girls have an opportunity to work with her."
On Wednesday, Mann held a team meeting with the Tar Heels to discuss their mission for the new season - "Stay The Course."
"What that means is we love, we fight and we focus, Mann said. "With love you celebrate the success of others, and you love the challenge. An example of fight would be you persist through difficulties, and you execute to the best of your ability. And then focus, you zero in on the task at hand, and you choose to engage in a positive mindset."
She believes that if her team can follow that mission, it can be a mantra that will lead Carolina right back to the final weekend of the season.
COURSE INFORMATION
Kiawah Island Resort – The Ocean Course – Kiawah Island, S.C. – Par 73 – 6,109 yards
LIVE SCORING
TEE TIMES
Monday, Sept. 4 – First and Second Rounds – 8:15 a.m. (ET) Shotgun Start (36 Holes of Continuous Play)
Tuesday, Sept. 5 – Final Round – 8:30 a.m. (ET) Shotgun Start
TOURNAMENT NOTES
The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort has played host to the 2007 Senior PGA and 2012 PGA Championships. It will also host the 2021 PGA Championship. The Ocean Course is only the fourth course to host each of the PGA of America's major championships. Probably no other golf course in the world outside of the United Kingdom and Ireland is affected as much by the wind. Located on the eastern-most end of Kiawah Island, The Ocean Course has more seaside holes than any other course in the Northern Hemisphere. This is the inaugural year of The Ocean Course Invitational hosted by the College of Charleston.
