Golf off to slow start on season
Coach Dean Johansen and the Utah State University men’s golf team are getting back into the swing of things, braving a large field of competition this season, not to mention the brisk Logan weather. Fresh off a 14th-place finish in the Purple and Red Golf Invitational, a dually hosted tournament by Weber State University and the University of Utah, the Aggies are gearing up for the remainder of the season.
More good than bad has come out of the last two events; the Aggies are on the right path to doing well, Johansen said. The team also finished eighteenth at the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational in Colorado Springs, Colo. on Sept. 10.
Team captains Preston Otte of Burley, Idaho, Justin Copier of Salt Lake City and Jake Blair of Smithfield lead teammates Devin Daniels also of Smithfield and Brandon Broadhead of Brigham City into a series of tournaments on the road and close to home.
Red-shirted last season, Broadhead was able to train and prepare with the team before being able to travel along with his fellow players.
“Broadhead never had the chance to break in and travel,” Johansen said about Broadhead’s standing on the team last season.
With a full roster, the Aggies are getting ready for the Idaho Fall Classic in Moscow, Idaho Sept. 25 and 26. Generally individual scoring adding up to a complete
team score is used in tournament play. The best Aggie is paired with the best from other schools in competition. For instance, the top USU player would play with the number one Weber State, University of Utah and Cal Poly players. All individual scores are then tallied to make the final outcome. “Most of the time it’s just straight up individual scoring,” Johansen said. An exception to this is a once a year head-to-head, best ball event with Southern Utah University. Best ball play consists of four players taking a shot off the tee, deciding who hit the best shot and then hitting their second from where the ball lies. This tournament does count as competition, but gives the players a chance to participate in a different play strategy. Practices for the athletes consist of individual and team improvement. Focusing in the same area on the same short game then work continues on the little things within, Johansen said..
While the road schedules for the team are set, leaving a small amount of free time, players only have time for eating, sleeping and golfing. This fall the team will also be visiting Northridge, Calif. for the Countrywide Home Loans Invitational.
Johansen describes this team as one full of hard work and camaraderie. “It’s always an exciting time of the year to get the kids out there,” said Johansen. The fall golf schedule will last through the end of Oct.ober, then the team will pick up play
again in March. -eawads@cc.usu.edu