June 21, 2004
By John Down
Calgary Herald
Maybe this game of golf isn’t quite like riding a bicycle.
At least not for Jillian Wyne.
The 24-year-old from the Glencoe club was among the finest young amateurs in North America a year ago, holding the top scoring average in NCAA Division II golf while playing out of San Antonio’s St. Mary’s College.
But she put away the clubs for most of the summer of 2003 to let her hair down on an European vacation.
“I’m struggling right now,” she confessed after whacking 10 shots off her opening-round 85 in Wednesday’s second round of the women’s city amateur at Bearspaw.
“I think a lot of it is that I’m not mentally tournament tough.
“Before I could stand over the ball and know where it was going to go.
“Now I’m second guessing myself a lot . . . I’m not committing to the shots and it’s not comfortable right now.”
So every day scrubs a little more rust away, her 75 Wednesday just one shot less than Round 2 pacesetter and multi-time champion Marilyn O’Connor required to negotiate the immaculately-groomed 18 holes.
Wyne, the eldest of two sisters competing in the 75th anniversary of the 54-hole tournament, still trails leader Lindsay McMillan of Glencoe by 13 shots.
McMillan, a 20-year-old, maintained a three-shot advantage by adding a 75 to her opening 72 for a 36-hole total of three-over-par 147.
O’Connor moved up one spot to share second with the host club’s Jackie Hellard, a 75 shooter, at 150.
Four back of them is Bearspaw’s Jade Polonich, also checking in with a 75.
Two players, defending champion Meaghan LeBlanc of Bearspaw and Cany Pasechnik of Country Club, sit at 155.
Wyne hip-hopped through five European countries last summer and counted the club championship as her only competitive round among seven outings.
She spent two months in San Antonio earlier this spring with sister Nicole, who attends St. Mary’s, trying to smooth out her swing.
“This tournament has definitely shown that I took all that time off,” said Wyne.
“My wedges need a lot of work. It’s tough when you’re missing greens all day because that puts all kinds of pressure on your wedge and putter.
“But I’m excited to get back and play competitively again. And I’m going to play a couple more tournaments before the provincial amateur.
“I’m hoping it’ll come back . . . I just have to be patient, I guess.”
Today’s final round again goes as a cross-over with the leaders expected to finish around 2 p.m.
jdown@theherald.canwest.com