Handling the pressure of the postseason in any sport can be a tough challenge, especially for someone in their freshman season, but Bishop Garrigan’s Gabby Buscher was able to rise to the occasion, recording her best 18 hole score of the year so far to place second in class 1A – region 3 action at the Highland Park Golf Course in Mason City on May 21st, punching her ticket to the class 1A state meet.
Buscher’s score of 83 improved upon her previous 18 hole best of 87, set on May 12th at the Top of Iowa West Conference meet, where Buscher recorded a third place finish, earning all-conference honors.
The Golden Bear freshman put together a consistent performance at the regional meet, with a 41 over the front nine and a 42 on the back nine. Buscher credited her teammates for helping calm her nerves leading into the meet.
Bishop Garrigan competed in nine meets this seasons which consisted of nine holes. Only once in those nine meets did Buscher shoot under the 41 or 42 she was able to do back to back at regionals. Buscher felt confident her final tally would be enough to extend her season to state.
Buscher tried to block out any distractions and not think about what scores other golfers were posting during the competition.
Through the first six meets of the season, Buscher had recorded scores of between 47-50 each time. On April 29th at Britt, Buscher had her best nine hole score of the season with a 40, and from that point through the rest of the season, shot a 45 or better in three of Bishop Garrigan’s four nine-hole meets, along with scores of 90, 87, and 91 in the 18 hole meets leading into regionals, providing momentum and confidence. Buscher felt she improved on dealing with nerves as the season went on.
Buscher’s 18 hole average score of 87.75 is tied for the eighth best in class 1A heading into the state meet. The class 1A girls state meet is hosted at the American Legion Golf Course in Marshalltown, a course that Buscher has been studying in the ensuing week since regionals.
With the state meet teeing off Thursday, Buscher has dialed in her final preparations.
It will be a 9 A.M. shotgun start on Thursday, May 29th, with tee time at 8:30 A.M on Friday May 30th’s day two.
