Hitting a tiny white ball hundreds of yards into a hole 4.25 inches in diameter is a tough task under ideal or perfect conditions.
Try doing it blindfolded, which is what it must have felt like for University of Illinois Springfield senior golfer Abby Vorreyer as she attempted to finish playing in a tournament surrounded by darkness.
She put her talent on display for all to see or not see last weekend at the 24-team Perry Park Spring Fling tournament in Kentucky. Without any daylight, she scored birdies on the final two holes to win medalist honors at the Whitetail/Buckskin course at Perry Park Golf Resort. The Chatham Glenwood High School graduate topped a field of 140 golfers with rounds of 77-72 for a one-stroke victory. Three players tied for second.
“The joke on our team is you just need to play in the dark all the time,” Vorreyer said.
Vorreyer set a 36-hole school record at 149. The previous mark was 157. The 72 broke her own school record for an 18-hole low.
When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, golfers had the option to suspend their round and finish the next day. The late play was the result of the two-day, three-round tourney being shortened to one day and two rounds due to impending inclement weather.
“It was a risk to keep going,” she said. “I came off a birdie on 17. You want to ride the momentum, not think about it overnight.”
Blind faith carried her to a desired result. At twilight, Vorreyer holed a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 17. Her riveting finish on the par-4 18th hole was impressive. It was completely dark when she took to the tee box.
Vorreyer was featured by The State Journal-Register on March 28, 2013.
Read the article online
