Gators senior Anna Young aims for strong finish at NCAA Raleigh Regional
Thursday, May 7, 2015 | Women's Golf, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The climb back to competitive golf seemed far in the distance for Florida's Anna Young in those first weeks and months after a right wrist injury ended her junior season.
Young was so far removed from the lineup that for the first six weeks after doctors shut her down -- she injured the wrist while doing Burpees as part of her cardio fitness routine -- Young couldn't even use her right hand to putt.
“As much as it sucks getting hurt, I learned a lot about myself and a lot about my game,'' Young said Wednesday afternoon following a practice round at Lonnie Poole Golf Course in Raleigh, N.C., site of this week's NCAA Regional.
Young did what she could to stay connected to the game. When she stopped by the practice green, Young putted using only her left hand.
Seems like a small detail, but in the game of golf, a small adjustment can make a huge difference.
The 21-year-old Young, who at 14 decided she wanted golf to be her future, discovered a nuance in her game that has helped her since she returned.
“When I putt my right hand likes to manipulate the clubface if I'm unsure about a shot,'' she said. “Once I was able to use only my left hand, it took that manipulation out of it.”
Prior to her injury, Young always considered her ball-striking ability the strength of her game. In the year and a half since, her short game has made strides to close the gap.
That improvement is what helped Young (75-73-72--220) tie teammate Karolina Vickova for the Gators' best score at the SEC Tournament last month in her first appearance in the event.
A native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Young began her college career at Tulsa. However, after her freshman season, she decided to transfer to Florida to be closer to her swing coach in Orlando.
She played in nine tournaments as a sophomore and started her junior season by winning the Cougar Classic in Charleston, S.C., shooting a final-round 67 to win the three-day tournament at 5-under par.
A month later her season was over because of the wrist injury.
Slowly, Young has worked her way back into the lineup. She finished tied for 10th at the SunTrust Gator Invitational earlier this season and tied for 17th at the SEC Tournament. Young's improved play has her confident she can help the Gators at the NCAA Raleigh Regional, which runs today through Saturday.
The top six teams advance to the NCAA Championships on May 22-27 at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton.
“I'm really happy I played well because I didn't hit the ball very well,'' she said. “I was playing a 30-yard slice with most of my clubs and shots, so I was kind of working my way around the course. I had to get a lot of up and downs to play as well as I did. I've been working on my short game a lot, especially after I got injured. I got so good at certain shots that it really helped me.”
Young expects her short game to factor prominently in how well she plays. She said the greens are fast and tricky at the regional site.
With her UF career nearing a close, Young's mindset is one of an explorer about to start a new journey. A psychology major, Young plans to turn professional later this summer and fulfill a dream.
“I know I have a long road and a lot of hard work ahead of me, but I'm excited to go,'' she said. “This is exactly what I want to do. I just can't imagine being done and not getting better and improving. If you practice right, you can get better if you have the right mindset.”
However, she will remain an amateur through late July when she returns home to Saskatoon to play in the Canadian Women's Amateur Championship on her home course, Riverside Country Club.
“I was really hoping it would be there,'' she said.
But this week, her focus is on navigating Lonnie Poole Golf Course and advancing to the NCAA Tournament. The 18-team field features five SEC teams (UF, South Carolina, LSU, Mississippi State and Alabama).
The Gators are the No. 5 seed.
“[The SEC Tournament] was the best I played since I had been injured,'' she said. "Even though I didn't win, it was a win for me. I'm really ready to do it all again this week and give it all I got.”
Players Mentioned
