With a lengthy hiatus in between tournaments now over, the Ohio men’s golf team finally takes to the links Saturday in Bloomington, Ind., where the team will participate in the NYX Hoosier Invitational.
Following an 11th place finish at the storied Pinehurst courses in early March, the Bobcats hope to take the momentum from their best round of the year (295) into the weekend’s play.
The lineup will undergo a slight adjustment to accommodate the recent under-par performances by the Bobcats.
“We’re changing the lineup a bit,” Ohio coach Bob Cooley said, expressing interest in bringing senior Brad Lucas into the mix.
If Lucas plays the weekend, it will be his first tournament since late October because of a scheduling conflict that coincided with an internship during the winter.
Lucas’ addition to the lineup might be the extra push the Bobcats need heading into Saturday. At the Firestone Invitational, Lucas led the team with a two-day score of 150, shooting a pair of 75s, 3-over-par, each day.
“It’s looking like it’ll be the four who have played all year, and Brad Lucas,” said Cooley. “Hopefully, with the new lineup, we’ll do a bit better.”
Dependent on amount of play, the other four likely to play are seniors Michael Lamping and Byron Firestone, junior Connor Coldwater, and freshman Brad Burgess.
Last season, Ohio finished in eighth place, after finishing the first two rounds of play in a tie for fifth. With team rounds of 293 and 283 in the first and second rounds, respectively, they finished the last day of play with a 298 overall. Then-junior Firestone tied now-graduated Paul Grauer overall with a 218 overall, and Lucas, a junior at the time, finished one stroke behind.
The Indiana University golf course is just over 6,800 yards and carries a 132 slope, slightly more difficult than nearby Athens Country Club.
Besides three par-3s that card 200-plus yards, the IU course leaves the door open to any team. The field will consist of several schools from the Midwest.
ch115710@ohiou.edu
