The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebel Golfer Jarrod Gardner Qualifies For U.S. Amateur
7/31/2003 | Men's Golf
July 31, 2003
OXFORD, Miss. - For some athletes the challenge of playing an unfamiliar course for big time stakes brings out the aggressive side of their nature. They take the challenging shot and pull out all the stops in an attempt to claim victory.
For Jarrod Gardner the slow and steady approach served to be the key. The Ole Miss golfer claimed medalist honors at the Pecan Valley sectional qualifier, firing a 68-71-139.
The accomplishment itself is big, but finishing at the top of the standings on a course he'd only played once makes the achievement that much greater.
"When going out and playing a course that you don't know, it's rough because you are playing blind," Gardner said. "I just tried to keep it simple, staying in the middle of the fairway and not taking the chances I would have taken on a course I knew well. It made me much more conservative in my play, but that's what worked."
While the top four finishers in the qualifier will advance to the U.S. Amateur at the Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania, Aug. 18-24, Gardner views the medalist honors as an opportunity for him to grow as a player. Consider it an arrival of sorts.
"This is truly a big opportunity," said the junior from Austin, Texas. "I hope to put on a good showing and gain some more confidence in my game. I hope what I have been able to gain this summer can be carried back to Ole Miss. I want this to translate into my performance on the course this season."
Woody Cowart, his head coach at Ole Miss, feels Gardner's accomplishment speaks volumes about his athletic ability as well as the maturity he has gained as a golfer while playing for the Rebels the past two seasons.
"He played a fantastic two days of golf," Cowart said. "What he did is a great performance, especially for that course. This certainly shows what Jarrod is capable of contributing as a player. For him to come out and claim medalist honors is a tremendous feat. His work has paid off."
Gardner will play in one more event before heading to Pennsylvania for the U.S. Amateur. He will compete in the Collegiate Players Tour Championship at the Texas Star Golf Club Aug. 11-14.
Gardner has claimed one other title this summer, wining the State Farm Collegiate Players Tour event at the Pelican Point Golf Club with a score of 74-69-69-212.
