It has certainly been a good two-week run for the University of Texas golf program.
First, during last weekend in October, there was the grand opening of the $8 million-plus clubhouse at the UT Golf Club at Steiner Ranch, located in the Texas Hill Country about 15 miles from the UT campus.
A fire destroyed the 70-percent completed building a day after Christmas last year.
And, just this past Wednesday, the Longhorn men’s team concluded their fall season with a victory at the Turtle Bay Intercollegiate in Hawaii.
Texas, No. 17 in the
Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings going into the 19-team tournament, shot 21-under 843, three strokes better than San Diego State.
What made the victory so sweet was not the fact it was the second of the fall for the Longhorns (they tied for first in their opener at the Gopher Invitational), but how it came on the heels of a somewhat disappointing 13th-place showing in their previous outing at Isleworth.
“I think our guys knew we were a better team than what we showed at Isleworth and were determined to prove it,” said Texas coach John Fields. “I think they did that. And this should give us a lot of confidence and momentum to take into the spring season.”
Then, to add the finishing touch to the Longhorns’ two-week run of prosperity, Fields announced the signing of Cody Gribble, one of the top junior players in the country.
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ALSO FROM TURTLE BAY: Texas wasn’t the only team bouncing back from a poor showing. Ohio State got its act back together as well.
After finishing fifth at the Tucker and winning at Memphis, the Buckeyes finished dead last at the Ridges. But with Vaughn Snyder shooting an 11-under-par 205 and winning medalist honors, Ohio State placed a respectable fifth in Hawaii.
One team that turned some heads at Turtle Bay had to be Texas-Arlington as it tied for third with UNLV. In the process, UT-Arlington, ranked 70th going in, defeated eight teams ranked better, including No. 13 Baylor, which had its worst showing of the fall with an 11th-place finish.
Arlington, which won at Waterchase this fall, could be that sleeper team. The spring should be interesting.
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AGGIE ADDITIONS: While Texas A&M completed its fall season – one that featured two tournament wins – it had some good news for the future to report as the NCAA’s early signing period began Nov. 12.
Aggie coach J.T. Higgins announced the signing of three top junior players for the 2009-2010 season, including Cameron Peck, the U.S. Junior Amateur champion and the AGJA’s Rolex Player of the Year.
Also headed to College Station in the fall are Ryan Kelley and Ryan Blair.
“This was an important recruiting class for us because we are losing four outstanding young men to graduation – Bronson Burgoon, Clay Hodge, Austin Schauer and Matt Van Zandt,” Higgins said. “Cameron will be expected to step right in and contribute. Kelley and Blair have the ability to compete for a spot right off the bat and if they are competitive with our returning players, then our team will be in great shape.”
All in all, from Austin, to Arlington to College Station, it was a good week in the Lone Star State.
Posted: 11/14/2008
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