BRADENTON, Fla. - Never let it be said that Georgia Tech golfers don’t have a little toughness to them.
When Tech golf coach Bruce Heppler remarked Sunday that freshman Chris Petefish had done a good job at the NCAA championships of “hanging in there, gets a bloody nose on the 11th hole today,” it was thought that he had persevered after perhaps a double bogey.
That wasn’t the case, though – Petefish parred the par-5 third hole (Tech began the round on the back nine) at the Concession Golf Club.
Rather, Petefish said, “I literally got a bloody nose.”
Petefish said his nose sometimes bleeds in heat; temperatures have been in the high 80's at the tournament. The nosebleed started on the 10th hole of the round and continued bleeding to the tee shot on the 12th, Petefish said. He handled it with by putting tissue in his nostril.
“I’d say misfortunate timing, but it was actually fine,” Petefish said. “I’ve dealt with it before.”
He parred each of the three holes, part of his 1-over 73 round, putting him at 6-over for the tournament.
“When stuff happens like that, you can panic a little too much, get a little too fast, hit some bad shots,” he said. “But I’ve been through it enough, that you kind of have to sow down and take your time.”
The Yellow Jackets play the fourth round Monday, starting the day in a tie for eighth at 14-over. The top eight teams will make it to match play starting Tuesday.
It was suggested that he should have bled on his shirt to project a brutish image.
"I tried," Petefish said, joking. "I missed."
