Coming back to school this year was particularly exciting as we were preseason ranked number one. On our first team trip we were all ready to prove we deserved our number one ranking. Before our first tournament however, we were offered a golfing trip of a lifetime. We traveled to the east coast where we would play 5 courses, all ranked within the top 30 of Golfweek’s best courses list. We played the number one ranked course, Pine Valley as well as: Shinnecock, Sebonack, Friar’s Head, and National. It was a blast as all courses were great in there own way. Then we headed to Chicago where we would play our first tournament at Olympia Fields CC, the site of the 2003 U.S. Open. The course was one of the toughest I have played and we finished fourth.
As we returned from our trip we were immediately shoved back into reality, as classes would begin the next day. Since then our new team has had some time to get to know each other. In my three years on the farm, I have noticed that the team dynamic is different every year. With three new freshmen coming in this year, it is hard to know beforehand how the new team will mesh. Fortunately our team has grown close through the fall as we all are united under common goals.
We would go on to finish second as the Prestige at PGA West and third at Isleworth in Florida. With one tournament left, we were hungry for a win at Cordevalle, especially since we had lost our number one ranking. With a great final two days of play we were able to pull out the victory to beat the current number one ranked team, Oklahoma State.
As the fall season has ended and we look towards the beginning of our spring season, I am filled with excitement. This year especially, I feel like we are on the right path. While we go back home for Christmas break and a few weeks of “off” time, you can rest assured that we will be working harder than ever on our games to be ready come tournament time.
Go Card!
Graham Brockington ('11)
