Anderson reflects on successful start, eventual collapse at Open
FARGO — The drive home was all night and took about 15 hours. The amateur golfer who spent time atop the leaderboard in U.S. Women’s Open slept most of the way. When Amy Anderson woke up, it was not a dream.By: Jeff Kolpack , Forum Communications Co.
- Amy Anderson
FARGO — The drive home was all night and took about 15 hours. The amateur golfer who spent time atop the leaderboard in U.S. Women’s Open slept most of the way.
When Amy Anderson woke up, it was not a dream.
And if there was a nightmare scenario for North Dakota State’s women’s golf team — that Anderson would turn professional — that was dispelled with enthusiasm on Monday afternoon.
“I can’t tell you how much advice I’ve gotten,” said Anderson, who will be a junior this fall. “I’ve had so many people say things like, ‘You should go south.’ What I’m doing now is working. I’m sticking around here for two more years.”
She finished 63rd with a 17-over 301 after four rain-delayed rounds at The Broadmoor golf course in Colorado Springs, Colo. She led when the tournament was delayed the first day and she subsequently became a media hit with several national appearances.
Her performance ranks with the best all-time in NDSU women’s athletics history.
“Very much near the top,” said NDSU women’s athletic director Lynn Dorn. “She’s the real deal.”
Dorn said she was not concerned about Anderson turning professional, saying “Amy is real grounded in making her decision.”
Anderson said her performance in the Open does not “accelerate” any plans in turning professional.
“But it motivates me,” she said. “Failure motivates me.”
Her fall on the leaderboard had more to do with her putting than anything else, she said. She felt her ball-striking ability was just as good as the professionals.
“With that, I did learn something,” she said.
Her plans the rest of the summer still have intensity. She’ll play in the Women’s Trans National in Sheridan Wyo., at the end of the month and the United StatesWomen’s Amateur in Barrington, R.I., in the middle of August.
The memory of last weekend, however, will not be far away. There’s nothing like walking down a fairway with 3,000 to 4,000 fans on one hole.
“People were chanting ‘Go Bison,’” she said. “I was surprised how many people from North Dakota and Bison alumni were there.”
And she did leave with a piece of advice that she said was worth keeping.
“The biggest one was to enjoy the moment and I feel like I did that,” she said. “I was loving that even when I wasn’t playing well.”
Kolpack is a sports reporter for The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, which is owned by Forum Communications Co.
Tags: amy anderson, sports, golf
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