University of Georgia Athletics

May 10, 2023 | Women's Golf, The Frierson Files

By John Frierson Staff Writer

As Georgia women's golf coach Josh Brewer walked up the UGA Golf Course's 18th fairway on Wednesday afternoon, minutes away from seeing the Bulldogs win the NCAA Athens Regional and fifth-year player Jenny Bae run away with medalist honors, the three lucky golf tees in his right pocket were still on the job.

The Bulldogs, scorching-hot the first two rounds on their home course, entered Wednesday's final round with a 10-stroke lead over South Carolina. Georgia shot 9-under the first day, 6-under the second, and would have had to shoot some absurd scores to miss out on qualifying for the NCAA Championships next week at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

But the Bulldogs didn't just want to be one of the five teams to advance out of the regional. They wanted a win. That's why, back in August, Brewer proposed to his bosses in the athletic department, including J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Josh Brooks, that the team treat the regional like a road event. Brewer wanted his players out of their usual routines, in hotel rooms, and away from distractions.

It's a lesson he learned back in 2017, when Georgia hosted a regional with a team loaded with talent but failed to advance to the NCAA Championships. Brewer wasn't going to let that happen again.

"That's probably, on paper, the best team I've ever coached, and we didn't handle it very well, and unfortunately we didn't get a chance to go win a national title when we were one of the favorites," Brewer said of 2017.

"I actually have got to say hats off to (Associate Athletic Director) Rhonda Kilpatrick and Josh Brooks and the Athletic Association, because they let me spend the money, and they let me have this vision starting in August. I told them that this was what I needed, and they didn't question it."

Bae, who finished her spectacular tournament at 13-under, six shots clear of second place, credited Brewer's approach to the event with helping her shoot rounds of 69-67-67.

"Josh played a major factor in that. He took us out of all of our comfort zones, he put us in a hotel, and he put us in the mindset of, OK, we're in a tournament, we have to focus, we can't just grab stuff from our house and all that. It was like any other tournament, which was really good," said Bae, who also won the Columbus Regional in 2021.

Georgia was at 13-under as the Bulldogs started to play the back nine Wednesday, still 10 strokes in front of South Carolina. But then the Gamecocks started making birdies. South Carolina shot a combined 8-under on the back nine, making 11 birdies.

By the time Bae saw her 3-foot putt for par on the par-5 17th hole do a full 360 and lip out for bogey, the Bulldogs were at 11-under and the Gamecocks were one stroke back. Game on for the regional title.

Some players like to know where things stand; others don't want to know anything. Bae is a scoreboard watcher, or she would be if there were scoreboards on the course. Brewer, who spent time with different players during the round, was keeping her informed of everything happening in front of her at the end.

"When I lipped out, it was a bit disappointing, but I also knew I had a really good chance for birdie on my final hole," she said.

About those three tees in Brewer's pocket, alongside the ever-present chewing gum, yes, Brewer is a tad bit superstitious.

"You mean the same three tees in my right pocket all three days, that are still here right now as we talk? Or chewing the same pieces of gum if we play well? No, I'm not superstitious," he said, laughing. "Of course I am."

As Bae set her bag down and turned her attention to her tee shot on the par-5 18th, fifth-year player Jo Hua Hung was making her way to the 18th green. Bae, so experienced, so composed, ripped a drive up the left side of the fairway. She barely looked up at it, instead immediately reaching down for her tee and moving toward her bag.

Soon after, the roar of the crowd as Hung sank a birdie putt was heard loud and clear. Hung said she didn't know how important that birdie was until after she made it.

"I'm glad I did it," said Hung, who shot 5-under over the three days and finished in fourth place. "I played really solid golf. In three rounds, I probably only had three or four bogeys. I didn't have that many birdies but I played really solid, so I'm really happy about how I played."

Shortly after Hung's birdie came some quieter applause for South Carolina's Hannah Darling, who also made birdie. Georgia's lead was still one stroke with only Bae and playing partners Louise Rydqvist (South Carolina) and Antonia Malate (San Jose State) still on the course.

Brewer and Bae walked up the fairway together, chit-chatting about this and that, Brewer said. While Bae's drive was in excellent position, Rydqvist, who finished second on the individual leaderboard at 7-under, had pushed her drive just into the trees on the right side.

Rydqvist punched her second shot to about 100 yards, opening the door slightly for Bae, who only needed to match Rydqvist's score on the hole to secure the Georgia win. Bae's second shot, from about 200 yards, was on a downhill lie. She made good contact, but it came up a few feet short of the green.

After Rydqvist hit a great third shot to about 10 feet, Bae chipped to 3 feet. Rydqvist would have to make her putt and Bae would have to miss for the teams to end up tied. Rydqvist just missed her birdie attempt, and shortly after, Bae rolled in her 3-footer for her 19th birdie in the 54-hole event.

"I knew she was ready to make it," Brewer said.

"I think everything just has to click for you to play really well. And I think especially my short game and my putting just really pulled through for me," Bae said.

Moments after Bae's 67th stroke of the day dropped into the cup, securing the team win for Georgia and the individual win for herself, Bae and Brewer were mobbed by their teammates, who dumped water all over them both. It was a celebration worthy of a sweep, which Brewer's teams have done three times in the past eight regionals.

Those tees in his pocket have done their job and won't be making the trip to Arizona, Brewer said. Instead, he'll start fresh at the NCAA Championships.

"But the gum's there every day," he said with a smile. "It's just my nervous energy."

Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.