Anders Albertson, a former Etowah High standout and Georgia Tech freshman, will be making his third trip to the Dogwood Invitational. After finishing second as a high school junior in 2010, Albertson had to settle for a top-20 finish last year.
It’s just a matter of finishing all four rounds of the Dogwood Invitational with as few strokes as possible.
Going into today’s opening round of the four-day Dogwood Invitational, the former Etowah High School golfer and current Georgia Tech standout is confident that he will play the type of golf he did in 2010, when he was runner-up, as opposed to finishing 17th a year ago.
“This is always a great course to play, and one of my favorite tournaments,” Albertson said. “If you’re not on your game, they’re not going to give it to you. If you control your distances and the greens, you’ll put yourself in a good spot.”
The Dogwood Invitational, first held in 1941, is one of the nation’s most prestigious amateur tournaments. Past champions include noted Georgia amateur Tommy Barnes, a five-time winner, and recently crowned U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson.
Albertson will get started on the first hole at 9:12 a.m., alongside Alabama standout and last year’s Dogwood runner-up Bobby Wyatt and Keith Mitchell of Chattanooga, Tenn.
Roswell resident William Mitchell also has a Cherokee County connection as a member of BridgeMill Golf Club in Canton. The 48-year-old Mitchell will go off on the first tee at 9:57 a.m., paired up with UAB golfer Hunter Hawkins and former Xavier golfer Diego Tamayo, who shot a 70 in Monday’s qualifier to make it into the field.
Albertson said he’s secure about how he’s driving the ball and putting, but after going on a practice round at Druid Hills on Tuesday, he’s noticed some small differences on a few holes that could potentially make or break his round.
“They shaved the banks on the side of the green, where everything funnels away from the pin,” Albertson said. “Some of the pin placements are new and close to the ridges. It will definitely be a challenge, but it will be a lot of fun.”
One thing Albertson has going for him is his recent success.
He was selected honorable mention on Golfweek’s All-American list. He also finished as Tech’s No. 2 golfer as a freshman, with a 71.4-stroke average that ranked sixth in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Albertson wrapped up his first season at Georgia Tech on May 19 by shooting a 1-over 73 in the final round of the NCAA Norman Regional where the Yellow Jackets finished sixth. He finished tied for 27th overall with a 7-over 223.
A couple of Albertson’s Georgia Tech teammates will also compete in the Dogwood, one being Harrison High School standout Ollie Schniederjans, who Albertson was paired up with last year. Bo Andrews is also in the field, as is former Yellow Jacket standout Seth Reeves.
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