The men’s golf team opened season play with a come-from-behind tournament victory at the Ram Masters Invitational last Tuesday in Fort Collins.
The Pioneers entered the second day of play in seventh at 15-over-par after two rounds, and 11 strokes behind then-leader Colorado State.
“I didn’t say anything to them [after the second round]. They all knew that they didn’t play their best, and just wanted to get out the next day and play better, and show people that they can play,” said head coach Eric Hoos.
“We didn’t really have any expectations to win at that point,” said senior Oskar Arvidsson. “We knew if we played well, we could maybe get third or second. So everybody went out and did their own thing, and just played the best they could.”
By notching an 8-under-par performance in the third round, the Pioneers edged out host Colorado State by one stroke to finish first in the field of 15. Arvidsson led the comeback with a 6-under-par final round to tie Colorado State’s Cameron Harrell for the tournament title at the 70-par Fort Collins Country Club.
“Oskar played pretty solid on that first day during the 36-hole round,” Hoos said. “I know he didn’t get everything he could out of each of the rounds—a few up and downs he didn’t get, and [also] a few puts.”
Arvidsson seemed to come alive during the second and final day of play.
“On Tuesday he had everything going. He was hitting and putting really well, controlled his emotions and lit it up,” Hoos said.
Arvidsson’s third round score of 64 was a tournament-best, and he finished with a score of 204 through three rounds. Junior Viktor Doka and senior Ole Ramsnes each turned in below-par performances in the third round as well to help the Pios to a tournament win. Doka placed fifth, shooting five-under-par 65 in the final round while Ramsnes shot 69 to finish tied for 24th.
Freshman Pat Frodigh and Petter Mikalsen made their debuts for the Pioneers this past week, with Mikalsen shooting a personal-best 71 in the second round, while Frodigh tied for 64th overall with his best score being a 4-over-par in both the second and third rounds.
“I’m looking for both our freshman to contribute this season,” Hoos said. “They’re both very competitive young men that want to take their game to the next level. They’ve been very coachable so far, and I think they can become better than they already are.”
The Pios improved on their fourth place finish from last year with a combined score of 847 through three rounds, with three players placing in the top 25 to boot. It has been 13 years since the Pioneers last won a season-opening tournament.
“It definitely gives them confidence that they can do it. For all the returners, last year was tough,” Hoos said. “It kind of beat us all up. From a coaching standpoint, you couldn’t ask for a better start for them to get off to, to get that confidence going, and the belief in their games that they can do it.”
“We want to get to regionals this year and hopefully nationals,” Arvidsson added. “I think we can do it, if we play the way we did this week. If we keep working hard, we’ll get better.”
