[Men's Golf] Men's Golf starts spring season at San Antonio Shootout

*** EDITOR'S NOTE *** The San Antonio Shootout has been moved up one day to start on Sunday, instead of Monday as originally noted in the story ***

Practice sessions have been scarce since the fall season ended because of the relentless winter weather. As a result, they were unable to conduct qualifying rounds in advance of the spring opener next week in Texas.

 

But Kansas Wesleyan men's golf coach Randy Syring is confident his veteran team will be competitive in the San Antonio Shootout on Monday and Tuesday at the TPC San Antonio courses.

 

The top five golfers from last year's squad that finished second in the Kansas Conference Championship Final Leg. The Coyotes posted an 896 total, five shots behind Bethany.

 

"They felt like they should have won conference last year, so they certainly are optimistic about the opportunity," said Syring, who enters his second season.

 

"I have to be realistic about (the opener) since we haven't played, but I also feel like this team is capable of playing with anyone. If we go out and play well, I feel like we're capable of competing with any of the top NAIA teams. So, my expectations are always high."

 

The Coyotes will play practice rounds Saturday and Sunday on the tournament's two courses, something Syring is relishing.

 

"Last year we went only one day early and only got to play one of the courses," he said. "That hurt us because we went into tournament play on the other course sight unseen and it really hurt our scores.

 

"This year, all the factors combined, I wanted them to play both golf courses and we need a practice day. So being able to practice and play both Saturday and Sunday, hopefully we can knock off enough rust to be competitive."

 

Last year's tournament featured seven of the top 10 teams in the NAIA and Syring expects a similar field this year. TPC San Antonio is the sight of the PGA Tour's Valero Texas Open, scheduled for April 1-7.

 

KWU golfers have worked inside and done what they can this winter. The question is how much it has helped.

 

"I have no doubt that they're trying to improve, they just are not able to get out there and see the results of that," Syring said. "It's still a bit of an unknown where we are at this moment.

 

"We'll find out a lot on Saturday in our practice round and find out where everybody is. It is the best practice facility we'll see all year. On Sunday it will be a lot about prepping each player for that golf course and those conditions and trying to shore up any weaknesses that we saw on Saturday."

 

Wesleyan's order in Texas will be based on stroke averages during the fall, starting with Ben Hadden (SR/Shawnee Mission, Kan.) and followed by Troy Watson (JR/Coffeyville, Kan.), Coleman Houk (SR/Lawrence, Kan.), Logan Vacca (JR/Coffeyville, Kan.) and Sam Flinn (SR/Mankato, Kan.).

 

Houk placed fourth in the KCAC Final Leg last spring, Hadden was fifth, Watson tied for 12th, Vacca tied for 18th and Flinn was 32nd.

 

Having a veteran team makes for lively competition during practice once they get outside.

 

"They feed off of each other, no question," Syring said. "Because we qualify for every tournament, they know somebody's going to be bringing it every day and they have to get out there and do the same thing. I like that, they're not feeling like they can rest on their last tournament performance.

 

"As I tell the players all the time, 'if you get better every day at something, the outcome is inevitable.' That's our goal, go out there every day and get better at something, and this group buys into that big time."

 

KWU plays one more tournament, in Bartlesville, Okla., March 11-12, before conference play begins with the First Leg on March 18-19, at Crestview Country Club in Wichita, weather permitting.

 

It's not much time to hone their skills, but Syring is banking on the team's experience and abilities to prevail.

 

"These guys know they have a special team this year, they know they have an opportunity to do something that no other Kansas Wesleyan team has," he said.