Disappointing result ends fall for golf

The Bobcat golfers had one more shot at victory to end the fall season on the upswing, but a sixth place finish in the Cougar Invitational on Oct. 6-7 was not the ideal end to the season.

Head coach Jimmy Wilson was confused with his team’s play. After the two solid opening events, Wilson didn’t sense the same grind.

“Maybe we got out of our routine the last two weeks leaving one day later,” Wilson said. “I just didn’t see the same fire.”

The event, hosted by Columbus State University, was held at its third venue in three years, the historic Country Club of Columbus.

While the club looks short by today’s course ruler, its 6,500 yard layout remains a formidable test for top players as it hosts the prestigious Southeastern Amateur every summer.

Under testy winds, GCSU posted scores of 287 and 296, placing them at 15-over-par for the event. Perennial rival University of South Carolina at Aiken, won their second tournament of the year with rounds of 292-277, placing them 14 shots ahead of the Bobcats.

Coming into the final round several shots behind Columbus, USC Aiken ripped through the day, posting a tournament low round of 7-under-par to leap over everyone. Their top three players were 10-under for the closing round.

The Bobcats were in good shape after day one, in third position just three shots back of the pace. Junior Francisco Bide rebounded from last week’s tough finish to lead the opening effort with an even-par 71.

Fellow international juniors Niclas Johansson and Pedro Lima joined sophomore Joe Young with rounds of 72 on the day. Sophomore Billy Shida couldn’t get rolling as a tough front nine ballooned his score to 77.

Despite the mediocre effort in round one, the Bobcats still had a chance to punch a winning ticket.

For the second week in a row, the final round got nasty for GCSU. Mental lapses and overall sub-par play stifled any thoughts of glory early the final day.

The team turned the front nine 14-over-par collectively as Johansson was the only one to match par. Bogeys and doubles were penciled in instead of the pars and birdies necessary for a title run.

Things got better on the home stretch, but a good team score was out of reach. The final round 296 was bested by each of the five schools finishing ahead of the Bobcats for the week.

Three Peach Belt Conference squads snuck past GCSU. Florida Southern College’s standout Jude Eustaquio medaled individually at 7-under-par.

Johansson remained solid, matching his opening round of 72 for an 11th place finish. Young and Lima each clawed their way to 74, putting them in a tie for 19th.

Neither Shida nor Bide could find their games with poor closing rounds. Bide fell from the first day high to a 76, and Shida had 5 bogeys on his back nine in route to a 78.

Johansson said he wished the team had one more event to end the fall season right. Heading into the spring, one of the team leaders wants to see more toughness.

“We need to be determined to be the best,” Johansson said. “We have to fight to win.”

Wilson said he reminded the guys that nationals can be won or lost in their preparation this off-season. GCSU has several months off before they begin the vital spring season Feb. 11 at Florida Southern’s Matlock Invitational.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 10 2008. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry