Men’s golf coach shoots three-over par 74 in first round of PGA Championship

August 8, 2014 | Athletics, Events, News
By Steve Easton



Head Men’s Golf Coach Jamie Broce finished his first round of the 2014 PGA Championship with a three-over par 74 Thursday afternoon.

UT Men's Golf Coach Jamie Broce shot three-over par in the first round of the 2014 PGA Championship.

UT Men’s Golf Coach Jamie Broce shot three-over par 74 in the first round of the 2014 PGA Championship.

The tournament is being held at the historic par-71, 7,458-yard Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.

“I thought I drove the ball well and hit a lot of good shots today,” Broce said. “This golf course is tough, and you’re going to make bogeys if you don’t stay in the fairways and hit good approach shots. There are a lot of overhanging trees that can affect your shots. I’m teeing off on the back nine tomorrow afternoon, and I’ll definitely have to shoot under par to make the cut.”

After opening his round with double-bogeys on his first two holes, Broce registered birdies on No. 4 and No. 9 to make the turn at two-over par.

“I hit a good drive on the first hole but ended up in a bunker, and my bogey putt lipped out,” Broce said. “The second hole is long, and I hooked my drive into the hazard right out of the gate. Then I missed about a 12-footer for bogey. Starting out double-double is definitely not the way you want to begin a round. I think my biggest shot of the day was hitting a six-iron on the third hole and giving myself a chance for birdie. That’s what I did, and I hit it really nice for the next stretch of holes to finish the front nine at two-over.”

Broce then bogeyed Nos. 11, 12, 15 and 16 and birdied No. 14 with a 12-foot putt before draining an 18-foot eagle putt on No. 18.

“It was definitely a good way to finish my round,” Broce said. “Hopefully the team sees how I played and realizes that you need to keep fighting even when you have a bad start. It’s a good lesson for all of them to learn because you never know when something good is going to happen.”

Broce qualified for the PGA Championship by posting a runner-up showing in July at the 2014 PGA Professional National Championship in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

He has coached Toledo to second- and third-place finishes the past two seasons and will be entering his third year at the helm of the Rocket men’s golf program this fall.

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