The Northern Kentucky University golf teams are underway in the fall season, playing against unfamiliar teams as a result of the transition to Division I.
The men’s golf team started the season at the Wasioto Winds Fall Kick-Off held in Pineville, Ky. on Sept. 10-11, hosted by Morehead State University. The team finished third out of 14 teams with a three-round total of 877 (295-296-286), coming back after being in sixth after the two-round first day.
Sophomore Zach Wright led the way for the Norse finishing in sixth place with a two-under score. Junior Steve Rickels finished with a tie for 16th place.
“We didn’t get off to the start we wanted to in order to put us in contention to win,” Rickels said. “The good thing was that we switched gears on the second day in the final round and showed improvements.”
The women’s team started the season at the Chris Banister Golf Classic in Glencoe, Ala. on Sept. 2-4. The team finished in 10th place out of 10 teams. Sophomore Taylor Wogenstahl led the team, finishing in a tie for 20th place and junior Rachel Brown tied for 24th.
“It was a difficult course for our freshman to transition into, but it was a good experience,” Brown said.
Coach Daryl Landrum said that the course was difficult as a result of severe greens with elevation and breaks and other than some big scores on a few holes, he was pleased with the team’s play.
Landrum said that the area he has been focusing on improving for the men is consistency.
For the women, Landrum worked on trying to improve play inside 50 yards from the hole, which includes short-wedge game, chipping and putting and trying to limit the big scores on individual scores.
The next event for the men is the Cardinal Intercollegiate hosted by the University of Louisville in Simpsonville, Ky. on Sept. 24-25.
“It is a big time D-I event with lots of big time schools,” Landrum said. “If we handle the pressure and believe in ourselves, we may not win the tournament, but we will be very competitive.”
The women will compete in the Cardinal Classic in Yorktown, Ind. hosted by Ball State University, on Sept. 21-23.
“We will be competing against teams that if we go out and play confidently and get rid of nerves, we will compete with them and we should be fine,” Landrum said.