August 17, 2002

JACKSON COMEBACK COMES UP SHORT

SCARBOROUGH, New York -- After falling behind Becky Lucidi by six over the course of the first 18 holes on Saturday, Furman senior Brandi Jackson pulled to within two with a birdie on the par three 28th hole (No. 10), but lost the championship match of the 102nd U.S. Amateur 3 and 2 with a bogey on the 34th hole.

Jackson struggled early, bogeying or double bogeying 10 of her first 18 holes, due partially to an erratic putter. With Lucidi six up entering the second 18 holes of the day, Jackson began chipping away at the lead on hole number one, birdying to cut Lucidi's advantage to five. On hole number two Jackson gained another point with a par, when Lucidi bogeyed. A Jackson birdie on the par three seventh brought the Belton, S.C. native to within three holes of evening the score, and on the par three 10th she made her third birdie in 10 holes to pull within two.

Two down was as close as Jackson would get this day, however, as her ball settled on the edge of the apron on the next par three (No. 16) and her chip stopped considerably shot of the hole. When Jackson's par putt rolled past the hole, Lucidi captalized by sinking a six footer, putting the Poway, California, product three up with just two holes remaining.

If Jackson had won Saturday's match, she would have been the first Furman golfer to take the U.S. Amateur Championship, since Charleston native Beth Daniel was victorious in 1975 and again in 1977.

August 17

Becky Lucidi (Poway, Calif.) def. Brandi Jackson (Belton, S.C.) 3 and 2

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