Although Ohio has seen progression in its season during the past two tournaments, it is still looking for improvement in its last two roster spots.
With an unsteady fifth spot, and a seemingly slippery slope apparent in the Bobcats’ fourth man, Ohio is looking to solidify a squad before playing the upcoming Mid-American Conference Championship at Longaberger Golf Club.
Coach Bob Cooley’s blueprint for the season has allowed every eligible player to play in at least one invitational, giving players chances to showcase their ability to play in a tournament atmosphere.
The balance of play may not reflect an accurate team record, he says, but toward the end of this season, it has not revealed a steady individual to round out the squad.
“The kids have got some confidence and that’s what we point to,” said Cooley. “We try to get better and better as the year goes along, like we did last year. I play a lot of guys during the season to give everyone a chance and sometimes our overall record isn’t as good as it should be, but we’re getting them ready for the conference championships.”
This weekend at the Penn State Rutherford Intercollegiate, senior Byron Firestone sat out, which gave freshman Michael Engleman an opportunity to play.
Engleman shot 22-over par for the tournament, beating out fellow freshman Brad Burgess by five strokes.
Despite recent struggles, Burgess is in position to earn a spot for the MAC Championship. His last two tournaments have been poor performances, compared to a week earlier when he shot two-under par (69) — the lowest round for a Bobcat this season.
“In these last few tournaments, (Burgess) hasn’t been playing very well,” Cooley said. “He’s got the talent, he’s just a little stumped right now, so we’re going to have to spend a little extra time with him.”
With hope that Burgess will return to his previous form, the debate still holds for the final roster spot. Sophomore Andrew Mlynarski has beat out Burgess in the past two events, while also finishing ahead of Engleman in the Rutherford Intercollegiate.
“(Mlynarski) is probably the front-runner,” said Cooley. “It’s probably between him, Brad Lucas and Michael Engleman.”
Senior Brad Lucas has only played in the NYX Hoosier Invitational in 2013, having missed a majority of the spring season because of a conflicting internship. He finished last in the field, shooting rounds of 82-87-84 (40-over par) in his lone appearance this spring.
The Bobcats started a qualifier Tuesday, with two more days of action remaining Friday and Saturday. However, if a Bobcat fails to separate himself, there may be another day of qualifying on Tuesday, according to Cooley.
Average scores for 2012-2013 season:
Michael Engleman (nine rounds): 78.22
Brad Lucas (10 rounds): 78.60
Andrew Mlynarski (12 rounds): 79.25
ch115710@ohiou.edu
