Confidence on Rise for Gators sophomore Vlckova
Monday, March 9, 2015 | Women's Golf, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – When Emily Glaser took over the Florida women's golf program in June 2012, one of the first players she began to pursue was far, far away.
“I was scrambling a little bit,'' Glaser said.
The Gators didn't have anyone committed to sign that fall and as Glaser started to build her first recruiting class, a kid in the Czech Republic caught her attention.
Whenever Glaser reviewed scores from European amateur tournaments, Karolyn Vlckova's name kept appearing. Vlckova and consistency seemed to be good friends.
“That piqued my interest because that's good for team golf,'' Glaser said.
The two made contact, had chats on Skype, and when Glaser announced a three-player signing class five months after she was named head coach, Vlckova was officially a Gator.
More than two years later, Glaser spent her Sunday afternoon walking with Vlckova around Mark Bostic Golf Course at the SunTrust Gator Women's Invitational, Florida's only home tournament of the season.
The Gators, after an eighth-place finish in 2014, finished runner-up on Sunday behind defending champion Arizona. Florida finished 10 shots back of the No. 11 Wildcats.
Meanwhile, Vlckova remained near the top of the leaderboard all weekend and closed Sunday's final round staring at a birdie putt on 18 that would have forced a playoff with Arizona's Manon Gidali.
She opened the round a bundle of nervous energy.
“I had a lot in my mind,” Vlckova said. “Home tournament. Home course. A lot of people are going to watch you. On the first hole I made a bogey. 'Now you can start playing normal.' That was my thought.”
Vlckova listened to herself and instantly found her groove. She parred the next nine holes before a birdie at No. 11. She then parred 12 and bogeyed 13 and 14.
With Gidali and North Carolina State's Lindsay McGetrick playing steady – both finished with final-round 70s – and Florida State's Lydia Gumm and Tulane's Gemma Dryburgh shooting final-round 69s, the pressure was on Vlckova if she wanted to remain in contention down the stretch.
“She said she saw the board coming off 12,'' Glaser said. “That can do one of two things to a player.”
Gators coach Emily Glaser, standing, impressed by Karolina Vlckova's recent play. (Photo: Ron Irby)
If the peek at the leaderboard threw Vlckova off her game, the fog lifted quickly. She birdied 15, had a birdie putt at 16 that almost dropped, and made a par at 17. And then on the 385-yard, par-4 18th, Vlckova faced a long left-to-right putt for a birdie.
The putt missed, but Vlckova had done enough on the back nine to secure a strong finish (74-71-71—216) for the tournament, tying McGetrick for second place a shot behind Gidali.
“Of course I wanted to win,'' Vlckova said afterward. “This is one shot. You can't really do anything about it. I'm happy with second place. I was very confident. I knew that I can win. I just tried to do my stuff, do my thing, and play like it was any other golf course on any other day.”
A sophomore, Vlckova's performance was a significant improvement from her inaugural SunTrust Invitational last year when she finished tied for 13th. The tie for second marked the best finish of Vlckova's UF career. Her previous best finish was a tie for third with teammate Camilla Hedberg in January at the Florida Challenge.
Vlckova entered the tournament confident in the way she was playing, in part due to a recent change in clubs. Vlckova replaced most of the irons in her bag and Glaser has noticed a difference in her shot making.
“They have given her a lot of confidence,” Glaser said. “She is hitting the ball differently than she did before, a lot higher and balls are landing softer. They are a forgiving club. It's maybe not helped her good shots get better, but it's helped her misses get better. That's the name of the game in golf.”
The next chance for Vlckova to display her new-found confidence is March 23-24 at the Briar's Creek Invite in Charleston, S.C.
She plans to carry her new clubs – and the same approach – as she did during the SunTrust.
The extended stay near the leaderboard injected even more confidence into her game.
“I see I can do it,'' she said.
