No, I'm not covering college golf for this site, but I want the story I thought I was writing for The Advocate previewing the womens golf tournament at English Turn to see the light of day somewhere.
The left hand assigned me the story on Thursday. I set up phone interviews, researched the team so I'd know what was I was talking about when I talked to the coach and players, then wrote the story Friday night when there were a 100 other things I could have done.
Then, when I sent the story to The Advocate yesterday, the right hand said it had never been on the budget and they didn't want it. OK. Not that I was already busy last week or anything and could have used the five hours back I spent on this story.
By Guerry Smith
Special to The Advocate
After establishing numerous individual and team records in the last three years, the Tulane women's golfers are aiming for another unprecedented accomplishment at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate Golf Championship.
They want to win their home tournament for the first time.
It won't be easy against a field that includes six of the nation's top 18 teams, including fourth-ranked, defending tournament champion UCLA, but the Green Wave has concrete reasons for confidence that belies its No. 31 national ranking.
The fifth-annual event starts Sunday and ends Tuesday at English Turn, with 15 teams competing over three rounds.
"We're playing really well and obviously we know the course well," senior Gemma Dryburgh said. "My teammates and I were talking today about how no Tulane team has won a home tournament before. If we get a good first round in, we should be in good shape."
While Tulane lacks the consistency of the nation's elite programs, it has shown the ability to get white hot.
The Wave is coming off a second-place finish at the UCF Challenge in which is shattered the school record for lowest round with a 17-under-par 271 on the second day and also carded its lowest 54-hole total (13-under 851) ever. Junior Silvia Garces tied the Tulane mark for lowest score with a 7-under 65, and Dryburgh recorded a personal-best 66.
"It was awesome to watch and awesome to be a part of," coach Lorne Don said. "That just really gave them confidence that we can be one of the best teams in the country. We'll have another opportunity to prove that this week."
Dryburgh finished the tournament one shot behind the co-leaders at 8-under 208 and one stroke ahead of Garces.
"It was the best I've ever played," Dryburgh said. "I was very in control of my game. I knew where the ball was going almost every time."
That was not the first time Tulane scorched a course with its core of four players who have been together for three seasons, including juniors Emily Penttila and Madison Opfer. At the NCAA Championships last May, the Green Wave shot a 2-under 278 in the third round --the best by any team in the tournament to that point.
The Wave finished 15th, tying the second-best result in program history. A year earlier, Tulane placed ninth at NCAAs.
That's why the team's No. 31 ranking entering its home tournament-the exact same spot it occupied at this time a year ago --carries little significance. If the rankings hold up, Tulane would finish eighth at English Turn, right in the middle of the pack.
"This is definitely an event that is circled on our calendars," Don said. "To have a chance to play all these top teams on our home course is truly a special week. We've never won it, and I know this group of young ladies would like nothing more than to break that trend and get a win this year."
Tulane's best showing at its home event was third in 2011. It placed fourth in 2013 but dropped to 10th last season when the field included three of the top four teams in the nation.
The Wave has practiced at English Turn every day since returning from Orlando on Feb. 11.
"We've done a lot of preparation," Don said. "We know where all the holes are going to be. We know the speed of the greens and where to hit it an where not to hit it. We hope they use that to their advantage."
The left hand assigned me the story on Thursday. I set up phone interviews, researched the team so I'd know what was I was talking about when I talked to the coach and players, then wrote the story Friday night when there were a 100 other things I could have done.
Then, when I sent the story to The Advocate yesterday, the right hand said it had never been on the budget and they didn't want it. OK. Not that I was already busy last week or anything and could have used the five hours back I spent on this story.
By Guerry Smith
Special to The Advocate
After establishing numerous individual and team records in the last three years, the Tulane women's golfers are aiming for another unprecedented accomplishment at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate Golf Championship.
They want to win their home tournament for the first time.
It won't be easy against a field that includes six of the nation's top 18 teams, including fourth-ranked, defending tournament champion UCLA, but the Green Wave has concrete reasons for confidence that belies its No. 31 national ranking.
The fifth-annual event starts Sunday and ends Tuesday at English Turn, with 15 teams competing over three rounds.
"We're playing really well and obviously we know the course well," senior Gemma Dryburgh said. "My teammates and I were talking today about how no Tulane team has won a home tournament before. If we get a good first round in, we should be in good shape."
While Tulane lacks the consistency of the nation's elite programs, it has shown the ability to get white hot.
The Wave is coming off a second-place finish at the UCF Challenge in which is shattered the school record for lowest round with a 17-under-par 271 on the second day and also carded its lowest 54-hole total (13-under 851) ever. Junior Silvia Garces tied the Tulane mark for lowest score with a 7-under 65, and Dryburgh recorded a personal-best 66.
"It was awesome to watch and awesome to be a part of," coach Lorne Don said. "That just really gave them confidence that we can be one of the best teams in the country. We'll have another opportunity to prove that this week."
Dryburgh finished the tournament one shot behind the co-leaders at 8-under 208 and one stroke ahead of Garces.
"It was the best I've ever played," Dryburgh said. "I was very in control of my game. I knew where the ball was going almost every time."
That was not the first time Tulane scorched a course with its core of four players who have been together for three seasons, including juniors Emily Penttila and Madison Opfer. At the NCAA Championships last May, the Green Wave shot a 2-under 278 in the third round --the best by any team in the tournament to that point.
The Wave finished 15th, tying the second-best result in program history. A year earlier, Tulane placed ninth at NCAAs.
That's why the team's No. 31 ranking entering its home tournament-the exact same spot it occupied at this time a year ago --carries little significance. If the rankings hold up, Tulane would finish eighth at English Turn, right in the middle of the pack.
"This is definitely an event that is circled on our calendars," Don said. "To have a chance to play all these top teams on our home course is truly a special week. We've never won it, and I know this group of young ladies would like nothing more than to break that trend and get a win this year."
Tulane's best showing at its home event was third in 2011. It placed fourth in 2013 but dropped to 10th last season when the field included three of the top four teams in the nation.
The Wave has practiced at English Turn every day since returning from Orlando on Feb. 11.
"We've done a lot of preparation," Don said. "We know where all the holes are going to be. We know the speed of the greens and where to hit it an where not to hit it. We hope they use that to their advantage."