Despite the snow and below freezing temperatures, the DU men’s golf team is still in the swing of things and looking to get a berth into the national tournament in Hot Springs, Va., this June.
After a slower than desired start for the team during the fall, the Pioneers placed first in the Nevada Tournament and got the first exceptional play from golfers along with a satisfactory finish.
After this, however, the team was shocked to hear that veteran Michel Landry, the senior from Nova Scotia, Canada, would be quitting the team and returning to his home town. “[Landry] was a big disappointment,” said men’s coach Eric Hoos. “He was a good talent and a good kid.”
Shortly after this the team had a disappointing 10th place finish at the Barona Creek Invitational in San Diego as they tried to regroup after losing one of their most talented golfers. The expectations now fall onto the shoulders of senior Jim Cunningham, who was recently named Sun Belt Conference’s player of the month, junior Barrett Jarosh and sophomore James Love. These three golfers have had unwavering play throughout the season and are a major part of the team.
Hoos is, however, looking for one of the three remaining golfers, sophomore Charlie Soule, sophomore Jason Coffin, and freshman Colter Kautzmann to step up their caliber of play to a level in which they could have four competitive golfers rather than three.
“They all have the talent to play exceptional golf but it is a big commitment to do well,” said Hoos.
Coming into the spring season the team will have two big matches at the start of the season, one in Houston which is currently underway, and an even bigger one this weekend in Hawaii.
“There will be a very strong field of teams that are all in our district including Colorado State, Bringham Young, Texas – El Paso, Hawaii and Arizona. All of them are top teams that we could face in the regional or national finals,” said Hoos about the importance of the upcoming tournament. All of these invitational tournaments will eventually lead to the more important ones in May and June.
On May 20th to 22th the Western Regional Tournament will be held at the Crosswater Golf Club in Sun River, Ore.
The team is expected to make it to this tournament and excel in it, according to Hoos.
“If we don’t make it to the regional tournament we will be disappointed as a team,” said Hoos.
If the team does well in these matches, the Pioneers will be invited to the national championship tournament in Hot Springs, Va., to be held at the Cascade Course at the Homestead Golf Club.
Hoos said, “We should make it through the west and if we make it to Virginia we will just have to see what happens.”
