Golf takes seventh at Cal Poly
After more than a month since their last tournament, the Utah State golf team finally got back on the green last weekend, playing in the Cal Poly Intercollegiate at the Cyprus Ridge Golf Course in Arroyo Grande, Calif. The Aggies finished the tournament tied for seventh place, and were led by junior Chanse Godderidge, who came in tied for 10th, with a total score of 5-over 149.
“I don’t think we came into the tournament very sharp,” head coach Dean Johansen said. “We were just flat and we didn’t play very well. There’s not much good to say about that tournament, we’re putting it behind us and moving forward.”
After their long lay-off, USU had a little bit of rust, and it showed. On the first day of the tournament Thursday, the Aggies struggled in the wet and windy conditions, and as a team combined to shoot a 46-over 334, putting them in last place.
“The weather in Logan the last month hasn’t been helpful at all,” Johansen said about practice during their long break. “I think that’s part of it, you lose your sharpness. It’s certainly not an excuse, but it’s something that we deal with that a lot of teams don’t have to deal with.”
After struggling through the first 18 holes, Utah State came out and played much better through the next 18 on the second day. The Aggies shot a 15-over 303, 31 strokes better than their performance a day before.
When asked about the turnaround after the first day Johansen said, “When we have five months under snow (in Logan), and it’s been a month since our last tournament, it’s tough for the kids to stay in a groove and stay in a rhythm, and anybody who plays golf understands that.”
Despite the poor conditions and long lay-off between tournaments, Godderidge came out ready to play. On the first day of the tournament he shot a 4-over 76, which put him in 14th place. The next day he came out even better shooting a 1-over 73, giving him a total score of 5-over 149 and a top 10 finish, the second such of his collegiate career.
“He just played pretty well,” Johansen said. “He’s been playing really good this year and he’s pretty consistent all the time. I think he only had 2-3 bad holes, so he played 36 holes of very consistent golf out here, it was good.”
The tournament’s overall champion was Cal Poly, who beat Sacramento State in a playoff, and finished with a final score of 7-over 583. The individual champion was Sacramento State’s Jake Johnson with a 5-under 139.
The Aggies now have another week off before they head down to Scottsdale, Ariz., for the Wyoming Cowboy Classic on April 4 and 5.
– mark.israelsen@aggiemail.usu.edu