With two tournaments out of the way for the 2017 season, the men’s golf team at California Baptist University is striving to work its way up in rankings while facing new obstacles.
The second tournament the men participated in this season was the Sonoma State Invitational where they snagged a fifth place finish.
It was the first time CBU competed in the tournament since 2012, which brought along some of the first challenges of the season.
TL Brown, head coach of men’s golf, said he did not choose the tournament because of the difficult terrain.
“The only tournament I could find that fit with our schedule was the Sonoma State Tournament,” Brown said. “The tournament had a lot of our West region foes that we have to go head-to-head against.”
Greg Gonzalez, senior kinesiology major, said the greatest challenge the team faces this season is scheduling.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said he also faces much responsibility being the only senior on the team.
“Now that I’m a senior and the whole team is pretty much all freshmen, I have to show them what to do without completely holding their hand,” Gonzalez said.
For the rest of the season, Brown said he wants to focus on the team coming together as a group.
“Some of these young men might have just been the superstar on their team,” Brown said. “I’m trying to get across this year that you’re not just out there for yourself, you’re playing for others.”
Brown said his goal for the season is to elevate the team’s level of competition.
“I want to win the conference championship; I want to win the region championship; and I want to win the national championship,” Brown said.
