Herr vows to learn from U.S. Open experience
For BucksLocalSports — If experience serves as a valuable teacher, then the S8th Women’s U.S. Women’s lpen delivered a lesson to Council Rock North High School senior brica Herr.
Undaunted by a day WKDW SURGuFHG fiYH GRuEOHbogeys, three bogeys, 10 pars and again no birdies on the S,821-yard, par-72 Sebonack Golf Club, Herr strutted out of the Scorer’s Tent with a declaration that GLVSODyHG WKH VDPH fiJKW VKH showed gune 28 on a day when a lot of bad things happened.
“You know there’s not one thing that I will remember most about this incredible week because there were so many good memories. But being here with all these talented players and just in this atmosphere, I know that I want to play professional golf for a living,” Herr said.
Herr, 17, of New Hope, coupled a 13-over-85 on gune 28 with an openinground 77 on gune 27 for a 1S2 score on a day when winds whipped her game into an unusual frenzy.
The gericho National Golf Club member founder herself seemingly bewitched, bewildered, bothered and indecisive about “club selection as wind gusts rippled nearby Great Peconic Bay.
“It was just so tough out there,” Herr’s dad, bric, said. “We had trouble pulling the right club. Man, sometimes we were off by a couple and came up short and another time or two, we had too much club.”
Herr started with a double bogey at No. 10 after her drive rushed into left of fairway fescue. A par-4 at No. 11 raised her spirits but then came another double bogey-S.
“And then it was another double-bogey. And then a par,” brica Herr said about a monotonous beginning.
Herr made four double ERJHyV RQ KHU fiUVW QLQH EuW managed 8-over-par 45. Sister, Madelein, 15, who would take over her dad’s caddie role on the 17th green, empathized with brica’s troubles.
“She’s been a little unlucky at times. I wish that I could walk out there and give brica a big hug. These DUH UHDOOy GLIfiFuOW FRQGLtions but she will be lK. She’s learning. I’m learning. wach’s learning,” Madelein said.
wachary Herr, headed to sanderbilt in the fall to play for the Commodores men’s golf team, added commiseration.
“It’s tough to watch,” wachary said. “I know what it feels like when things are not going your way out there. It’s lK. brica will take away a lot of knowledge with this week, with this round.”
Herr admitted she hoped for a better performance.
“But you can’t really get mad out there. You just keep playing. I did get it together there in the middle of the round. I lost focus on a few RI WKH fiQDO KROHV,” HHUU
noted.
A switch at caddy from bric Herr to Madelein added spark as her younger sibling helped brica drain a 10-foot SDU SuWW DW 1R. 8, D SDU-5.
Approximately a dozen -HULFhR 1DWLRnDO *ROI COuE members cheered Herr’s save then watched from a VHW RI 1R. 9 EOHDFhHUV DV brica Herr had a 10-foot downhill birdie putt.
Herr, a two-time defending Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association girls’ high school champion, has made many major putts.
“But I never, ever wanted to make a putt more than that birdie putt. I wanted that so bad, for Madelein, for my mom, (Cyndie), for my dad, for everybody. I thought I made it, too. I didn’t play that great. I GLGn’W finLVh ODVW. DLG ,?,” Herr asked.
“It was so cool that those little kids came up and asked for my autograph. I know they don’t know who I am.”
Maybe not this time around but if brica Herr achieves her dream, then three young fans have a keepsake for life.
Similar to a bunch of memories Herr gets to keep following a maiden voyage in the Women’s U.S. lpen.
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