Marquette’s men’s golf team improved in the FAU Spring Break Championship, but not quite as much as they had hoped. The Golden Eagles finished second-t0-last which is better than their dead-last finish at the Rio Pinar Invitational the week before.
But sophomore Ryan Prickette knows the team needs to pick it up.
“It was a struggle and it was all across the board,” Prickette said. “Personally, the last round I had three big holes, but that was it. I thought I played a solid round, but when the bad shots came they were really bad. But I think we need to start making better swings.”
The team returned to Florida for the third time this season, but it still couldn’t find the rhythm it needed to earn a better standing. While golf is seen as an individual sport, in collegiate golf, the team’s overall play is key.
“You’re still out there playing your own ball,” Prickette said. “Once you’re out there it’s the same game.
“The team aspect makes you want to grind a little more when things go badly. Sometimes I think, ‘If my teammates are playing poorly I still need to do something.’”
Junior Kelly Kretz had the best finish for the Golden Eagles. He tied for 25th place after three rounds of play, while senior Mike McDonald carded the Golden Eagles’ low-round Sunday by closing out the tournament with an even-par 71 at Gleneagles Country Club in Delray Beach, Fla.
Out of a field of 16 teams, which included Big East rivals South Florida and Notre Dame, Marquette closed at 15th in the team standings. Despite the less-than-encouraging result, the team still got the better of in-state rivals Wisconsin, scoring three strokes better than the Badgers. Marquette tallied a 304 Sunday, matching the team’s second-round score on Saturday to finish at 906.
“It was one of the best tournaments of the year,” Sieg said. “It would be nice to have at least been up there competing.
“We’re still working hard and we’re still waiting for the results.”
Luckily for McDonald, his final round was his best round of the tournament. He was able to get to one-under par by sinking three straight birdies on a stretch of par fours, beginning with the 355-yard second hole. But a frustrating bogey on the par-three hole six brought McDonald back to even.
“I finally got it together in the third round, but I don’t think I was that far off in the other rounds. I just had a couple bad shots that led to bad holes quickly. It’s just about minimizing mistakes. But there’s no reason those high shots should come into play.”
Marquette will return to action next weekend at the Charlotte Invitational at the Club at Irish Creek in Kannapolis, N.C., from April 2 to 4.
“It’s our last tournament for the Big East, and it’s important to have a big showing,” Sieg sad. “We had a good tournament last year in Charlotte for the most part, and I think we need to get some momentum together.”
