Lindsay and Lauren Bergman have become the foundation of the Bobcats.

Under their leadership, Ohio will play for the last time this season at the Lady Herd Fall Classic in Sleepy Hollow, W.Va.

“Both are mentally strong players, and they are taking it to the next level this year,” coach Kelly Ovington said.  “With their leadership, they are helping the entire team.”

Ovington added that she usually pairs a freshman, or another golfer who doesn’t know the course well, with Lindsay on a practice round, “to harness them in” and help the new golfer with unfamiliar shots.

Lindsay said she embraces the captain’s role.

“I know what it’s like to be nervous at a first tournament,” she said. “I can give them advice and relate to them.”

One of the Bergmans has tallied the team’s lowest score in two out of the three matches this year.  The one tournament where that didn’t happen was the Penn State Invitational, the first match of the year, where Lauren did not compete.

Lindsay noted that her sister provided her with motivation.

“It’s nice to have her on the team, and I’m thankful to have her here,” she said.

Lauren and Lindsay finished first and second, respectively, once this year at the Cardinal Classic match.  Lauren had her career-best 76 at the event and finished with the two-round score of 154, and her sister was one stroke behind her with a 155.

Outside of their success on the course, the program can also thank the Bergmans for its new coach. They were instrumental in bringing Ovington to Ohio.

They both contacted her at Golf Galaxy, in Columbus, to encourage her to join the Bobcats.  Ovington said that they played the biggest role in bringing her to Athens.

“They were pretty persistent,” she said.  “They really let me know what was going on with the team.”

Searching for 310 again

The Bobcats finished their practice round yesterday for the Lady Herd Fall Classic, and they noted that the course is relatively wide open, but it does have tough greens.

The Bobcats will tee off tomorrow’s 18-hole round at 10 a.m. The Bergmans said that they are confident that they can reach their season goal of 310 strokes as a team.

The Bobcats will conclude this year’s competition with Tuesday’s final 18 holes.