Ryan Burnett's third-place finish a bright spot for UNC men's golf

DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina men’s golf team placed seventh of 13 teams with an 8-over-par performance at the 2019 Rod Myers Invitational in Durham this weekend. 

While sophomore Ryan Burnett finished third with a 9-under-par performance, the Tar Heels fell into an early hole in the first round, with a score of an 11-over-par 299, that they never quite recovered from.

“We became a little soft after that, and that’s exactly what we don’t want to be,” head coach Andrew DiBitetto said. “We want to overcome adversity and overcome bad shots, because they are going to happen over the course of 18 holes, 36 holes, 54 holes.”

Despite finishing the second round five shots under par, the Tar Heels were unable to make up significant ground on the leaders, sitting at seventh through the first two rounds. Burnett, meanwhile, held a two-stroke lead going into the final round.

“He’s been playing great,” DiBitetto said. “He’s got a lot of confidence going. He’s always been a good ball-striker. Right now the putter has been pretty good too, to start the year.”

After missing several makable putts, Burnett was able to keep his composure and end the tournament on a high note. He holed in an eagle on the final hole, prompting his teammates to erupt with joy.

Still, Burnett was not satisfied about his showing in the final round, which saw him fall to third place to finish the event.

“Golf is just kind of a funny game sometimes,” Burnett said. “I really had it going in the 36-hole day, and you’re just playing hole after hole. You kinda get lost in the round, and you're not really paying attention to anything else. And in the final round, you just hit a few wayward shots. 

"I wasn’t giving myself the opportunities that I did the day before, and the putter wasn’t quite working.”

While every member of the team had his difficulties, the Tar Heels remained united, providing support for one another. Because of that, Burnett said he felt he needed to finish the final round strong. 

“I think that’s it’s kind of the mentality of our team,” Burnett said. “It’s just, never stop fighting, even if it’s not going your way. I definitely did not have my best stuff really all day, but I knew I just gotta keep making swings and keep trying to execute golf shots and eventually, it will happen.”

Burnett was not the only player to commend the team’s culture. First-year Austin Greaser, who finished in a tie for 50th, completed what was just the second tournament of his collegiate career and has already bonded with his teammates. 

“It’s fun to be around guys that love golf and love the sport as much as you do, because you don’t always get that back where you’re from or in high school golf,” Greaser said. 

Confidence is essential in golf, and having a team that encourages each other is key to maintaining it. UNC’s performance over the weekend may not be considered a positive one. But the close relationships they have developed provide hope that they will be able to bounce back. 

“We've got a really tight-knit team," Greaser said. “We all have a lot of fun, and the coaches really cap it off. DiBitetto and (assistant coach Matt) Clark are just great coaches to have. Thrilled to be a part of this team and looking forward to the rest of the season.”

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