Former Georgia golfer Angela Jerman got more than she bargained for when she agreed to caddie for her boyfriend, Todd Ormsby, in the Stadion Classic at UGA golf tournament this week.
Ormsby surprised Jerman, a two-time All-American and SEC Player of the Year with the Bulldogs (1999-2002), with a locker-room proposal in UGA’s Boyd Golf Center on Wednesday night.
“He totally caught me off guard,” Jerman said after carrying Ormsby’s bag for 18 holes Thursday. “He told me we needed to do an interview and I needed to hurry to the locker room to change. I don’t remember all the things that he said. I remember, ‘will you marry me,’ but I don’t remember any other stuff.”
Ormsby and Jerman have known each other about two years. Both work as golf professionals at Canongate properties in Peachtree City, Ormsby at Braelinn Golf Club and Jerman at White Oak.
They’ve been dating for about six months, and Ormsby figured this would be the perfect place to pop the question.
“She is happy here, comfortable here and she’s a huge UGA fan,” Ormsby said. “She did really well when she played for Georgia, so this feels like home for her.”
It wasn’t until he sprung his trap Wednesday night that it occurred to Ormsby the risk he was taking.
“I was putting my life on the line with that proposal,” he said with a laugh. “If she had said no, it would not have been good for this weekend. But I asked her and everything went well. She said, ‘Yes.’ Actually, she said, ‘Absolutely,’ so I guess that covers it.”
They seemed a good pair on the course. Ormsby, who won a Georgia PGA section qualifier to get into this week’s field, was even par after the first round.
Todd not happy with format: First-round leader Brendon Todd was not pleased to learn he still would have to perform well in the new Web.com playoffs to earn his PGA Tour card, even if he finishes in the top 25 this season.
“I’m a little bothered by it,” he said. “Playing well over 21 events on this tour proves a lot more than playing good over four events. We all thought that about Q school. If you finish second on this money list, you shouldn’t be able to play bad in the finals and finish 50th.”
UGA's first-timers: T.J. Mitchell was playing in the first professional tournament of young career Thursday. The Albany native is a senior on the UGA golf team and, along with teammate Keith Mitchell, was playing on sponsor's exemptions provided to the two Bulldogs with the lowest stroke averages on the team.
“It’s a new kind of nerves,” Mitchell said. “You go from junior golf to amateur golf to college golf and you have to get over the nerves of those first few holes. So I was a little nervous today, but I think I handled myself pretty well.”
T.J. shot 2 over, with four bogeys and two birdies. Keith (no relation) made a great par save from behind the green on No. 9 to finish at 1 over.
“My wedge today around the greens really saved my round,” Keith Mitchell said.
Both players said their goal Friday was to “just have fun.”
Etc.: Defending champion Hudson Swafford shot even-par 71. Georgia Tech grad Chesson Hadley also shot 71. … Brett Wetterich withdrew shortly before his 8:05 a.m. tee time because of continuing issues with a shoulder injury. … Zechariah Potter eagled the 356-yard par-4 sixth hole. It was the only eagle of the day. He shot 2-over 73.
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