National Champions 1981
Terri Moody moved atop the leaderboard midway through the second round of the 1981 AIAW National Championships at the UGA Golf Course and held off a late charge from Miami’s Patti Rizzo to win Georgia’s first-ever individual national title by a female student-athlete in any sport. Moody was among a group of five golfers tied for second following an opening-round 73, but grabbed a one-stroke lead over Rizzo with a 72 on her second loop. Moody, an Athens native who was the first female student-athlete to receive a full athletic scholarship from UGA, maintained that advantage when she and Rizzo Terri Moody both carded third-round 75s. 1981 AIAW Medalist On the final day, Rizzo’s 75 knotted the score and forced a three-hole playoff. Moody completed the trio of holes at 1-under while Rizzo was 1-over.
1984
Cindy Schreyer claimed a dramatic win at the 1984 NCAA Championships, winning a threehole playoff with SMU’s Martha Foyer and Miami’s Michele Bertroitti with a birdie at No. 12. Schreyer had battled Arizona State’s Heather Farr through most of the tournament. Farr carded an opening-round score of 71 at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Tarpon Springs, Fla. Schreyer, who was among seven golfers tied for eighth after the first day, rebounded to break the course record and knot herself with Farr on the leaderboard with a second-round 70. Cindy Schreyer Farr regained a one-shot lead 1984 NCAA Medalist following the third round. While Schreyer shot 76 in the final round, Foyer and Berteotti carded 75s to force the playoff. Farr slipped to fourth with a 79, two strokes off the playoff-forcing score of 297.
1992
Vicki Goetze turned in one of the most impressive single rounds in the history of women’s collegiate golf en route to capturing top individual honors at the 1992 NCAA Championships on Arizona State University’s Karsten Golf Course. Goetze and Stanford’s Audrey Wooding led following first-round, 3-under 69s; however, Annika Sorenstam of Arizona grabbed a three-shot advantage with a second-round 68. Sorenstam maintained that same margin after both she and Goetze shot 72s on the third day. Goetze then torched the course with a 7-under 65 on the fourth day to top Sorenstam by three. Vicki Goetze Goetze’s effort still remains as 1992 NCAA Medalist both the low single-round score in NCAA Championships history (though four other golfers have equaled the mark) and the Bulldogs’ low loop all time as well.
2001
The 2001 Bulldogs utilized three days of consistent golf to place themselves in contention and then used a spectacular final-round effort to win UGA’s first-ever national title in women’s golf. Georgia shot 298 and was among three teams tied for fourth after the opening day but climbed to sole possession of third after a second-round 295. The Bulldogs improved to 293 in the third round but still trailed top-ranked Duke by four entering the final 18 holes. Georgia seized contol early in the fourth round, tying the Blue Devils by No. 5 and then surging to a three-shot lead at No. 6. Duke never got closer than two shots thereafter. Georgia clinched the title with steely resolve. After a trio of bogeys at No. 16, UGA played the par-5 No. 17 at 3-under to all but seal the national title. The Bulldogs’ fourth-round score of 290 was six shots better than any other team in the field, as Reilley Rankin and Summer Sirmons carded a pair of 72s, while Laura Henderson and Angela Jerman both shot 73. All four of those Bulldogs finished among the top 18 individuals, with Rankin tying for 10th at 292, Henderson and Jerman both tying for 13th at 294 and Sirmons tied for 18th at 296.
NCAA Long Drive Champions
Heather Kuzmich 1988 (278 Yards)
Tina Paternostro 1991 (271 Yards)
24 2011-12 Georgia Golf
2001 NCAA Champions
(L-R) Summer Sirmons, Reilley Rankin, Todd McCorkle, Laura Henderson, Angela Jerman & Whitney Christie