The forecast is calling for heavy rain and high winds this Sunday, but that won’t stop the WSU men’s golf team as they head to Bandon, Oregon to compete in the Bandon Dunes Championships.

The wind will not be new for the Cougars after having to play in heavy winds during their last tournament at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate in Hawaii in mid-February.

“(The Cougars did a) great job competing in the wind, it was really windy and I thought our guys did a really good job when the conditions were tough,” Head Coach Garrett Clegg said.

After finishing 10th in the John A. Burns Intercollegiate, the Cougars look to improve their ranking this tournament.

Capitalizing on good opportunities in chipping and putting situations, along with low scoring opportunities on par 5’s is what held the Cougars back from having a great finish in the John A. Burns Intercollegiate, Clegg said.

Sophomore Derek Bayley, who has finished in the top-25 individually five times this season, will build off his confidence after a good performance in Hawaii. Bayley finished seventh in the tournament.

“My preparation has been so much better than last year, it’s really starting to show in my results,” Bayley said.

Bayley added that he needs keep to himself and not deviate from his game plan on the course at Bandon Dunes to have success.

The Bandon Dunes Championships will feature some top-notch teams, including No. 11 Clemson and No. 22 Washington.

The Cougars beat Washington in the first two rounds of the John. A Burns Intercollegiate, but fell behind in the final round.

To the Cougars, it doesn’t matter who is playing in the tournament, especially since golf is unique in the aspect that teams don’t face head-to-head with each other.

“If you worry about the other teams, you lose your focus on what’s important,” Clegg said.

Bandon Dunes is a different course than the Cougars are used to playing, in the aspect that it is a links styled course and located right next to the ocean.

“The course is patterned after courses in Scotland, so it is totally different,” Clegg said.

Bayley, who played last year in the Bandon Dunes Championships, is ready to take on the poor conditions predicted for the tournament. The conditions at last year’s tournament were very similar to what is forecasted for this year’s tournament.

“I’m preparing to keep the ball down, stay tough throughout the whole tournament and stay patient, whether I’m 3-over or 3-under par,” Bayley said.

Patience may be the biggest key for the Cougars going into the tournament. With the weather forecast looking bad, mistakes will be inevitable.

“The conditions won’t be perfect, but you’re going to have to grind it out and preparing your mind for that will be key,” Bayley said.

The Bandon Dunes Championships will run from March 6-8. Live scoring updates can be found at golfstat.com.