The men’s golf team kicked off its spring season earlier this week, rebounding from a slow start to gain an impressive finish.
Of the 15 schools present at the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate Match in Hilton Head, S.C., the Falcons found themselves near the bottom after shooting a 311 first -round score. They followed that effort by finishing with a score of 308 in the second round later that same day, leaving them at 12th overall after the first two rounds with a team score of 619.
With their best individual scores being posted by senior captain Jace Walker (78-75) and sophomore Matt Schneider (76-77) who each sat back in 35th place, it looked as if the Falcons would surely be starting the spring off on the wrong foot.
Head coach Gary Winger stated that the team will tend to struggle each spring in comparison with the southern schools who have had the advantages of good weather and golf courses not covered in snow, something Bowling Green is lacking in.
Indeed the Falcons did have a long list of factors stacked up against them, but they would come out hot on Tuesday, far exceeding the play demonstrated in the first two rounds, finishing with a third round score of 294.
Their third round total was the lowest final round score by six strokes, and they were the only school to shoot a sub-300 final score in the round.
The strong finish of the match propelled the Falcons from 12th to ninth, and should give them confidence heading into the rest of the spring. They finished with an overall score of 913 or +49.
“On Tuesday the wind picked up and it felt a little more like Northern weather, and that just shows how when the playing field gets evened out, how we can really compete,” Walker said.
Headlining the final day of play was senior Trevor Spathelf, who shot a 71, which tied for the lowest overall score of the final round, and helped to land him 42nd place overall.
“Trevor’s finish was huge for him”, Winger said.
Walker was in agreement about his teammate, saying “to have Trevor finish the way he did was incredible.”
Schneider wound up as the top performer for the Falcons, improving on his first day 35th position by shooting a third round score of 73 to finish 20th overall.
Schneider’s fellow sophomore John Powers also had a successful tournament to look back on, rebounding from a dismal first round score of 81 to finish the last final two rounds just three-over-par. His powerful finish landed him in 25th place overall.
Walker, after playing what he described as two of his worst days of golf ever, still proved to be one of the match’s most consistent players, finishing with a final round score of 76, to bump him up four positions, into 31st overall.
Also seeing action in Hilton Head, senior Russell Goodwin who finished 69th overall, and the teams lone freshman Bryan Mitchell, finished 77th overall.
The match’s top overall team performance went to Elon University, who finished with a final score of 890, just 26-over-par.
Next up for the Falcons will be the Palmas Del Mar Invitational, two in the second week of March. The team will no doubt be looking to ride the momentum captured in the final round at Hilton Head.
But for now, the Falcons season has started off much like Powers’ has, a slow start with a surprisingly good finish.
