California Baptist University’s golf teams picked up its first win of the season and are look- ing to put its best foot forward.
The women’s golf team started its season with a win in the USA Intercollegiate Tournament in Mobile, Ala. The team exceeded its goals and was able to show it is worthy of NCAA Division I competition.
Marc Machado, head coach of women’s golf, said, “It’s a tremendous start. They played so well. We shot 6-under (par) in the first round and our program record is 8-under (par), so we’re pretty close to matching our program best. Our goal coming to the final round was just to be in the conversation, but they closed as champs.”
The women’s team set goals and discussed how it was going to achieve them before the season started.
“We’re still going to stick to what we do and how we do things. We’re not going to let this win, which is awesome, shape our goals and expectations in any different way,” Machado said. “Our goal is to put our best foot forward and give our all.”
The team’s Erica Wang, senior business administration major and captain, played well through the Lancers’ first tournament.
“Wang played really good in the last tournament. She tied for second,” said Sunny Wang, senior business administration major.
Five Lancers won the USA Intercollegiate and, because of their success in their first tournament, were exempted from team qualifiers.
The team went to the next tournament, the Wyoming Cowgirl Desert Intercollegiate at Palm Desert, Calif, Sept. 30, tying for third.
The men’s golf team also had a competitive first two tournaments, finishing seventh of 15 at the Eku Raising Canes Intercollegiate Tournament at Richmond, Ky., and eighth of 16 at the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational at Erie, Colo..
TL Brown, head coach of men’s golf, said, “I feel like our top three played considerably well.”
Ben Hallam, a senior business entrepreneurship major, and Ryan Monsalve, sophomore undeclared major, finished tied for 18th at the most recent tournament. Brown said he was also impressed by fresh- man Harrison Kingsley, business management major.
Although it was not a bad start to the season, Brown said he believes the team could have achieved better results.
“I felt like a top-three finish was very doable if they had a little bit better play but those young guys are figuring things out. It’s their first time in the college level,” Brown said.
Both the men’s and women’s teams opened the fall portion of the season in late September and will finish the fall season in October.
The men will hit the course again Oct. 15 for the Herb Wimberly Invitational, while the women will compete Oct. 8 in the New Mexico State Aggie Invitational.
