Only four tournaments down for both men’s and women’s golf but there’s still so much to be thankful for.
Both teams have traveled all of the country for different tournaments in the season, and both teams have highlights of their own.
For the men’s team, one of their best moments in the season would be their opening to the year, proving home dominance at Palouse Ridge Golf Course winning the Palouse Collegiate tournament to open the season. The tournament was also the second-lowest in program history, a very proud achievement to have.
With that tournament win as a team also came the personal achievement of sophomore Dylan Burcham getting first out individuals shooting 15 under par for the first win in his collegiate career. Burcham has had an impressive season so far averaging 71.6 shots per round looking to keep it going at the start of spring.
The best scorer on the team for the Cougars is senior Sam Renner, who is shooting great this year with 70.3 shots per round. His highlight of the season is his most recent competition at the Saint Mary’s Invitational. Renner shot four under par and placed third in the individual rankings. Renner hit five birdies with no bogeys in the first round showing confidence and consistency in his game.
The Cougars men’s team next tournament starts on Feb. 12 when they travel to Lihue, Hawaii for the John Burns Intercollegiate.
The women’s team also has some great prowess to be proud and thankful for. Each week the team plays better and gains more confidence.
A star on the team shining bright is Kaitlyn Helm. Helm has led the Cougars in scoring with 71.9 shots per round, and has finished top-10 in individual scoring twice on the season. Her best finish was third place at the Rainbow Wahine Invitational in Hawaii. The tropical destination helped Helm hit 13 birdies over the three rounds and finish at three under par.
Hawaii was where the Cougars played their best, finishing sixth out of 19 teams in the tournament. They shot 10 over par collectively and in rounds one and three shot under par as a team.
Another star for the Cougars has been sophomore Agnes Brink. Brink is shooting 75 per round and has been steadily improving each tournament she plays. Brink placed 29 out of 122 participants in individual play in Hawaii finishing with a score of four over par. Brink hit five birdies in her final round to finish the tournament and set momentum up for four months from now.
The women’s next tournament starts on Feb. 9 when they head to Palm Desert, California for the Mountain Classic Matchplay.
