UGA ‘country-clubbers’ dominate

The proverbial “country club sports,” as some like to call them, appear to be in good hands at Georgia. That seems apparent given the recent athlete-of-the-week distinctions bestowed upon players in women’s golf and tennis and the men’s team’s victory in an off-shore golf tournament.

Last week, Georgia’s Savannah De Bock was named the SEC freshman of the week in women’s golf. That honor came De Bock’s way a day after she recorded the first top-10 finish of her college career in the San Diego State Classic in Rancho Sante Fe, California. De Bock shot 1-under 215 at The Farms Golf Club to finish fifth overall. It was her third top-20 and first top-10 effort in three tournaments at Georgia.

A native of Ecaussinnes-d’enghien, Belgium, De Bock joined the Bulldogs as a midyear enrollee in January. She placed 11th at the Lady Bulldog Individual Championship and 14th at the Collegiate Invitational at Guadalajara Country Club before the most recent performance. De Bock will compete in the Amateur Women’s championship at Augusta National for the second consecutive year.

Meanwhile, tennis standout Guillermina Grant was named co-SEC player of the week following a perfect weekend at the ITA Indoor Championships in Seattle. Grant, a junior from Montevideo, Uruguay, went 6-for-6 in matches over three days of competition for the Bulldogs. She won three doubles matches and three singles matches, all without dropping a set.

On the same day De Bock and Grant were recognized, Aysegul Mert picked up her second SEC freshman-of-the-week award for the women’s tennis team. Mert’s play in doubles at the No. 1 spot alongside partner Dasha Vidmanova has been impactful for Georgia early in 2024. Through three matches at the ITA Indoor Championships in Seattle, Mert, who hails from Istanbul, was key in winning two doubles matches, including a dominant 6-1 win against No. 24 Sydni Ratliff and Luciana Perry (Ohio State).

Earlier in the week, coach Chris Haack’s men’s golf team won the Puerto Rico Classic — the first event of the year — by carding a 42-under-par total of 822. Connor Creasy led the way by shooting 14-under for a third-place finish. That also earned Creasy SEC golfer-of-the-week honors.

BOB ANDRES FOR THE AJC FILE Georgia’s Connor Creasy is the most recent winner of the SEC’s golfer-of-the-week award. He was one of four Bulldogs athletes to be so honored last week.