Heppler says Tech season was a success
TECH RESULTS
Alabama defeated Georgia Tech 3-0-2:
Anders Albertson (Tech) vs. Bobby Wyatt (Alabama), all square
Trey Mullinax (Alabama) d. Shun Yat Hak (Tech), 4 and 3
Bo Andrews (Tech) vs. Scott Strohmeyer (Alabama), all square
Justin Thomas (Alabama) d. Seth Reeves (Tech), 3 and 1
Cory Whitsett (Alabama) d. Ollie Schniederjans (Tech), 3 and 2
No. 2-seed Georgia Tech men’s golf coach Bruce Heppler couldn’t help but marvel at Alabama’s talent after their matchup Saturday.
Heppler expressed how proud he was of his team and their effort, but had to give credit to the No. 3-seed Crimson Tide after the Yellow Jackets lost 3-0-2 in the match-play semifinals of the NCAA men’s golf championship on the Crabapple Course at the Capital City Club.
“They’re (Alabama) awesome,” Heppler said. “Those three guys up at the front (Cory Whitsett, Justin Thomas, Bobby Wyatt) may be three of the best eight or nine players in the country. They all may be on the Walker Cup team. Those are three big-time guys. Trey (Mullinax) played very well today, and Scott (Strohmeyer) has been around a long time. That’s a really good team.”
Tech was in good shape early on, but it all turned around when the Tide’s Mullinax came alive. Mullinax was 2 down coming to the eighth tee box and proceeded to win six of the next seven holes to close out Shun Yat Hak with par on the 15th. That gave the Tide its first point, and the pieces began to fall into place after that.
Tech’s Ollie Schniederjans saw his match with Whitsett get closed out on the 16 hole, 3 and 2. Schniederjans had a solid day, but said he would have had to play “flawless” to defeat Whitsett, who has 11 birdies and no bogeys in 30 holes of match play over the first two rounds.
The Jackets’ Seth Reeves lost to the Tide’s Thomas, after Thomas clinched the match with a par on the 17th hole for a 3 and 1 win.
Tech’s Anders Albertson was all square with Wyatt in the first match of the day in extra holes when Thomas finished off the win. Tech’s Bo Andrews was all square with Strohmeyer on the green at 18.
“Yesterday, after we finished that up, there is no better feeling because you’re that much closer to your goal,” Albertson said. “Now, you realize that you were so close from getting to where you wanted to be, it’s kind of the direct opposite. As high as it was, you realize that you’re season is over and you get low for a minute. You have to pick yourself up, pick your teammates up, and get back here next year.”
Still, Heppler sees this year as a success. Tech has a young team, and all of its players should be back next year. This group made the semifinals of match play for the first time in school history.
“We didn’t get out of regionals last year and made it to the final four this year,” Heppler said. “Some guys won some tournaments individually that hadn’t won before, so it was a real growing process for us. They’ll look forward to seeing if we can get back here again.”
