Writer Ernest Hemingway became so enthralled by bullfighting that he devoted an entire book to it, “Death in the Afternoon,” in which the late author wrote of the Latin sport as an art form. Gators head coach Emily Glaser can relate. She views a player’s method to scoring on the golf course through an artist’s lens.
Take Francisco, for instance. The talented Spaniard played tennis, beach volleyball, swam and did ballet growing up. She is one of the best athletes on the Gators’ roster and is known for her powerful swing.
Francisco can appreciate the grip-it-and-rip-it mantra made famous by PGA star John Daly in the 1990s. The harder you hit it, the farther the ball goes, and Francisco grew up smashing the ball longer than most of her contemporaries.
“I think that’s kind of my identity on the golf course,” she said. “I think that also comes into my DNA in being Spanish and a little feisty out there, for the good and bad.”
Francisco and her teammates tee off today in the NCAA Championships at the La Casta Resort & Spa’s North Course in Carlsbad, Calif., Florida’s first trip to the event since 2019. Florida advanced by placing third at the Charlottesville (Va.) Regional, highlighted by the best performance of Francisco’s young career.
The 19-year-old Francisco finished runner-up (67-70-72—209) at 4-under par, a shot behind winner Marie Madsen of N.C. State.
“I have never played a tournament with so much on the table and played so well,” Francisco said. “For sure, one of my favorite tournaments.”
As she has done since the last tournament of the fall season, Glaser walked the round with Francisco at Birdwood Golf Course to offer a calm and wise voice whenever trouble lurked.
She was perhaps more pleased by Francisco’s performance than anyone.
“That was kind of a strategic decision on our part to know that she would be a real linchpin for us if we could get it right,” Glaser said. “She has these physical gifts and part of learning how to score is knowing when and how to use them.”
Francisco played what she called “easy golf” in the first round, shooting a 67 with five birdies, 12 pars and only one bogey. In the…
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