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WHAT DO GOATS HAVE TO DO WITH THE STATE OPEN ? PAGE 12 compiled by CHRIS LANG
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Christina Herbert after achieving her goal of winning the Division III Women ' s Golf National Championship .
NCAA
Living the Dream
If you ’ re going to dream , why not dream big ? Such was the story for VSGA member Christina Herbert ( College Prep Golf Tour ), who set a not-so-modest goal for herself at the start of her junior season at Bridgewater College : Win the Division III Women ' s Golf National Championship .
“ While I knew it was a lofty goal , I did not think it was out of reach ,” she said .
Even facing a three-stroke deficit on her final nine of the college season in May , she still felt that way . One of six players to earn her way into the national championship field as an individual — Washington & Lee ’ s Liza Freed ( Mount Vernon CC ) was another — Herbert posted a final-round 74 at Houston ’ s Bay Oaks Country Club . With a four-day total of 295 , Herbert finished two shots clear of Rhodes ’ Nikki Isaacson and Wittenburg ’ s
Macy Hubbard to win the individual national championship and fulfill her lofty goal .
“ We talked at the start of the week about this event being a marathon , and that it did not require explosive golf all week to win — it required steady golf and no big mistakes ,” Bridgewater coach John Rogers said . “ She ended up having three solid rounds and one excellent round , and that was enough to get the job done . Christina is an amazing young lady , and she deserves this for all her dedication and hard work .”
Herbert , who turned 21 in April and lives in Williamsburg , posted one of two sub-70 rounds at the championship , turning in a second-round 69 that put her in the thick of the title hunt . Rhodes ’ Emily Salamy ( The Club at Kingsmill ) returned the best round of the championship , a second-round 68 that played a key role in Rhodes ’ two-shot win over George Fox for the team championship . That 4-under round was the lowest in relation to par in DIII Women ’ s Championship history .
With six holes to play , Herbert trailed Isaacson by three strokes . But Isaacson opened the door for a Herbert comeback by making three straight bogeys . Herbert , who started on No . 10 , took advantage . She made a birdie on No . 5 and recovered from a bogey on No . 6 with another birdie on the par-5 7th hole .
Herbert was already in the clubhouse when Isaacson bogeyed No . 17 , essentially sealing Herbert ’ s two-stroke victory .
“ Coach has a great poker face ,” Herbert said . “ He knew I took the lead after that tough two-putt on my 17th hole , but I had no idea I was in the hunt . I thought the bogeys I made on the back nine probably took me out of it . He did not tell me until I putted out on 18 that I was the leader in the clubhouse .”
vsga . org J ULY / A UGUST 2017 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 7