The K-State men’s golf team travels to Palm Desert, Calif., to play its first match of the spring season against the University of California Riverside at 2:30 p.m. today at the Bighorn Golf Course.
The match is a one-day event consisting of 18 holes of golf. Each team will bring six golfers and use their four best scores to determine the winner.
“We had an extra day of competition we could use,” said K-State men’s golf head coach Tim Norris. “This gives us a good chance to get out there and play, although the weather is pretty darn good here.”
The golf season is split into two halves, one in the fall and one in the spring. So winter climate plays a big role in how much practice a team can have between halves. Typically, the golf team does not get many good chances to practice on the course during winter, but this year has provided them with plenty of opportunities.
“We’ve been very fortunate,” Norris said. “We’ve had probably the mildest February that I’ve seen since I’ve been here, so we’ve had a lot of time out on the golf course. We hope that will equate to a fast start.”
While the current roster includes nine golfers, only six will be playing in the match against the Highlanders.
“On this trip we have Robert Streb, Joe Ida, Jason Schulte, Kyle Smell, Mitchell Gregson and Ross Geubelle,” he said.
During the fall, the team enjoyed some record-setting success. They set a school record with two tournament wins, one at the Jim Colbert Intercollegiate at home and the other in the Pacific Invitational in Stockton, Calif.
This success, coupled with extra practice time, has raised expectations for this spring. The Wildcats are currently ranked No. 57 by www.golfweekrankings.com. That same list ranked UC Riverside at No. 234.