Women’s golf wins Bettie Lou Evans Fall Invitational
October 2, 2011
By Matt Levine
In a weekend with unfamiliar weather on a golf course, the UK women’s golf team stole the Bettie Lou Evans Fall Invitational at the University Club of Kentucky.
Going into the final round on Sunday, the Cats were five strokes behind the then-leading University of Central Florida Golden Knights.
When all was said and done, the Cats left the course on top.
Head coach Golda Johansson Borst, a former assistant coach for LSU in her first year as head coach at UK, says she could tell that her golfers were determined to win the invitational.
“The girls just looked confident and I knew that they were never going to give up,” said Johansson Borst. “I am really proud of the girls.”
The comeback was lead by junior Ashleigh Albrecht, senior Ashlee Rose and junior Betsie Johnson, who finished in first, tied for fourth and eighth place respectively.
Johansson Borst says she is most impressed with the play of tournament winner, Albrecht.
“She looked right at the gallery and said I am winning this thing and for her to step up and do that and finish as strong as she did; I am definitely impressed and happy for her,” said Johansson Borst.
Albrecht says that winning this tournament has been something she has aspired for her entire collegiate career.
“It has been my goal to win it and the fact that I did it before graduating is unbelievable,” said Albrecht.
Albrecht adds that her team winning the title as well made it that much sweeter.
“I think what makes the win even better is my team took home the title as well so it is exciting on both ends,” said Albrecht.
Johansson Borst says that winning the tournament came as an expectation.
“I knew that if we play the way we can play and the way we play in qualifying, we were going to have a good chance at winning the tournament,” said Johansson Borst.
Although the Cats put on a superb performance this weekend, the weather was less than favourable. Johansson Borst says that the uncharacteristically cold late September weather was an advantage for the Wildcats.
“I think it gave us a little bit of an advantage because we have had some cold weather in the past,” said Johansson Borst.
She says that she will have to alter her expectations for the season after the team’s tournament win.
“We wanted to have several top 5’s, but obviously now I am going to have to rethink this and I think if we get a top ten in next week’s SEC/Pac-12 Challenge and a top five in the University of Texas San Antonio Alamo Challenge, we will be good,” said Johansson Borst. “If we finish the season ranked in the top 30 that will be good.”
Albrecht says that she would rather not predict scores and places and simply just play the game.
“I don’t want to put scores or places,” said Albrecht. “I want to enjoy everything that is happening and it will take care of itself.”