The end result wasn’t ideal, but considering the obstacles the ASU men’s golf team overcame, the team will accept its 10th-place finish in the San Diego Intercollegiate Classic.
ASU battled injury, illness, and inclement weather while shooting 52-over par last weekend.
Freshman Austin Quick fought the flu, while fellow freshman Mathias Schjoelberg experienced back spasms after the first round, forcing him to withdraw from the tournament.
In addition to the team’s injuries, the tough course and weather patterns wreaked havoc on the golfers.
“It’s a very difficult golf course with some of the most difficult greens, but then we had a lot of wind (Monday) and it started raining,” coach Tim Mickelson said.
The loss of Schjoelberg increased expectations from the other Sun Devils because all four scores counted toward the team total.
“That put a lot of pressure on the other four guys during the second round and unfortunately, they were not able to respond as we’d hoped,” Mickelson said.
Although the tournament lasted only two days, both the first and second rounds were played on the same day.
“That’s why we try and stay in the best possible physical shape as we can,” Mickelson said. “Everybody has to do it. I don’t think anybody really likes to do it, but the NCAA says we’re only allowed to play a certain number of days.”
Schjoelberg returned the next day in a grand fashion, shooting a one-under 71, the Sun Devils’ best single round performance in the invitational.
“That shows the type of player he is, able to play at a very high level even (when) he’s not feeling his best,” Mickelson said.
Among players who completed all three rounds, freshman Cameron Palmer had the best collective score, an eight-over par 224.
However, Palmer came to compete as an individual, and per official rules, he could not be inserted into the rotation for the second round.
“It was good for Cameron to put together a few good rounds because (in) his only other competitive tournament, he struggled really bad,” Mickelson said. “There’s a completely different mindset when you play as an individual. Usually people play better as an individual.”
Palmer’s score did not count toward the overall team total because he competed as an individual.
Senior Spencer Fletcher and freshman David Lowe both got off to a shaky start. Fletcher was 10-over par in the first round and Lowe was nine-over par.
However, Fletcher regrouped for the second round the same day and shot even, while Lowe shot 13-over par.
Lowe recovered after the first day and shot a 73 in the third round.
On the third day, the sun peeked through the clouds and ASU, like other schools, saw noticeable improvements in its score.
ASU shot 20-over par in round one, 26-over par in round two, and improved its total to six-over par in the third round.
Reach the reporter at jmjanss1@asu.edu
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