As the Cal men’s golf team heads to the three-day Arizona State Thunderbird Invitational this weekend, the No. 1 team in the nation is favored to win another tournament. With their impressive record of eight out of nine tournament wins this season, the Bears are only two wins short of the unofficial NCAA record of most wins in a season, set back in the 1895-96 season by the 10-win Oklahoma State team.
After a long four week break since their last win at the Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters in Las Vegas, Cal is headed to the Karsten Golf Course starting on Friday.
“There’s always a little edge after taking a break like this. They know what they need to do. We aren’t concerned about that at all; we think they’ll be absolutely ready,” Coach Steve Desimone commented regarding the long break between tournaments.
But Desimone is not too worried of the month-long rust that may have piled.
“We are the reigning champions. I like the way we set up the golf course with our experience,” Desimone said. “If we make good decisions on the golf course and stay with the game plan we should be fine.”
The team will be one short of its usual line up this weekend. Michael Weaver will be absent from the two remaining events of the regular season because he was invited to play in the Masters as one of six amateurs invited to the tournament.
Freshmen James Yoon will be taking his place in his very first competition.
“To be very honest, of course I’m worried. When we have all five together, we are the best team in the country. James is a freshman and has no experience in competition but he has played very well,” Desimone said.
After horrible weather conditions at the last tournaments in Hawaii and Las Vegas, the Bears are excited to about the forecast for this weekend. During the days, it will be in the low 90s with some wind and no chance of rain.
With the weather at ease, it would be easier for top players like Michael Kim, ranked no. 1 by Golfweek and Golfstat, to be effectively. Kim this season has been consistently on the top of the Haskins Award watch list. Nicknamed the Heisman of golf, the Haskins Award is an honor that is granted to the nation’s most outstanding player in men’s collegiate golf.
“Some of the names that have won that award are Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson,” Kim said. “Just to have my name on that list with them would be a huge honor.
With only five events remaining, the Bears will try to make every event count. From here on out, they have their eyes set on the ultimate prize.
“The big prize is the NCAA championship,” Desimone said. “If we win that on June 2nd, everything else pales in comparison.”