The Kansas State men’s and women’s golf teams are looking to bounce back after recent tournament results in which both Wildcat teams placed in the bottom half of the competing teams.
The K-State men’s golf team played from Sept. 24–26 at the Trinity Forest Invitational in Dallas, where they placed 10th as a team and had no individual medalists. There were a total of 13 teams present, with the University of Florida coming in first.
“I was really pleased with how we finished,” said Grant Robbins, head coach of the men’s golf team. “They bounced back and finished strong. This past tournament was our toughest competition outside of the Big 12. I think the confidence they finished with will really bode well for this next tournament.”
Although the men’s golf team’s placing did not show great results as a team or individually, they still did very well with their rounds.
The best individual scores on the team belonged to sophomore Ben Fernandez and junior Jeremy Gandon, both with a score of 212 overall. Sophomore Jacob Eklund had an overall score of 225, the third best score on the team. Coming in fourth on the team was junior Roland Massimino with a 228, and finally junior J.C. Campbell with a 233.
The men’s golf team will be preparing for their upcoming tournament next weekend, the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate in Jonesborough, Tennessee, where they hope for a better outcome for their team as a whole.
The K-State women’s golf team finished up their most recent tournament, the Magnolia Invitational in Starkville, Mississippi, where they placed ninth as a team overall out of ten teams in attendance. The University of Mississippi came in first.
“We played the par threes really well,” Jared Helin, assistant women’s golf coach, said. “We were second in the par three scoring. I think what caused most of our issues was low air balls. We’re gonna work on some confidence with ball striking, trying to get yardages down so we know how far we are carrying everything, and taking some aggressive lines on the tees.”
Like the men’s team, even though the women’s team did not have any individual medalists, the scores were good. In order by score: senior Connie Jaffrey with a 222, freshman Reid Isaac with a 226, junior Chloe Weir with a 227, freshman Niamh McSherry with a 229 and freshman Ella Adams with a 237.
McSherry also commented about the Magnolia Invitational and the team’s progression this season.
“I thought it went really well,” McSherry said. “We are a young team, and every tournament we go to we really build the experience.”
The K-State women’s team will be turning their focus to their next upcoming tournament, the Maryb Kauth Invitational in San Antonio from Oct. 22–24.
