Looking to rebound from a disappointing finish at last week’s Purdue Midwest Shootout, the No. 25 Arizona men’s golf team entered Friday’s William H. Tucker Invitational with high expectations. But it didn’t translate into the results the team had hoped for.
The Wildcats finished eighth in the 17-team tournament in Albuquerque, N.M., shooting 24-over 888. The best individual performance of the weekend for Arizona came from Australian freshman Tarquin MacManus, who finished 4-over 220, good for a 15th place tie, after a 1-over final round Saturday.
Arizona – the only ranked team in the tournament – got off to a roaring start, ending the first round Friday in third place, 1-over par, led by redshirt senior Creighton Honeck’s 4-under 68, which put him in third as well.
“”We had a really good team meeting and we wanted to go out there and go after it and we did,”” Honeck said. “”We were in a good spot after round one.””
The second round, however, was not kind to the Wildcats, as they fell back as far as 11th place. They ended up completing the day in seventh at 12-over, shooting 299 in the round.
“”The wind started blowing and we didn’t putt well, didn’t drive well, and had too many bogeys on easy pars,”” Honeck said.
As the team that boasted three freshmen fell down the leaderboard, and Honeck followed. A 77 in round two dropped him to 1-over at 14th place.
“”I’m really disappointed in myself,”” Honeck said. “”I had a chance to win or at least finish in the top three. I felt good in the second round, but the greens got quicker and bumpier in the afternoon and that affected my putting. I really let my team down.””
Saturday’s final round was not much better, a 12-over 300 outing for the Wildcats. The highlight of the round for Arizona was Honeck’s eagle on the par-five fifth hole, but he still finished tied for 20th at 5-over 221.
Pepperdine won the tournament with an even score, beating San Diego State by four strokes.
The desert style of New Mexico’s Championship Course, a course similar to the one Arizona practiced on during the week, coupled with better weather conditions, should have played to Arizona’s advantage, but costly mistakes kept them from accomplishing its goal.
“”All in all, we just didn’t get it done,”” Honeck said. “”It was a better outing than (the tournament at) Purdue. We’re close, but we need to turn the page and get better; get a top-three finish.””
