By JACLYN BURKE
Student Reporter
The Northwestern men’s golf team managed to pull off a seventh place finish at the Texoma Championship with a score of 937.
Trevor Montgomery and Cole Ward each finished day two of the tournament with a score of 233. Brennan Montgomery finished right behind them with a score of 234, Ryan Shumaker finished with a score of 239 and Drew Sims finished with a score of 247.
The men’s coach, Kyle Ward said the tournament went well overall, especially the second and third rounds.
He said the men struggled in the first round with a very tough golf course. “Had it not been for our shaky first round, we would have been in the mix,” Ward said.
Trevor Montgomery, a junior from Bristow, Okla., said, “On our first round, we didn’t play to our potential and it put us in a bit of a hole.”
The tournament went well for the most part, but if the team can work on starting better in the first round, then they will be in contention with the other teams.
Montgomery has a couple personal goals in mind that he wants to improve on before the Newman Invitational.
He said he looks to improve his game from 100 yards and in.
He said, “That area of a golfer’s game is very important, because that is where you can gain strokes very easily.”
Montgomery said he also looks to improve on keeping the ball in play, which is another important part of his game.
Montgomery said the team is “focusing on hitting good tee shots, keeping the ball out of trouble and looking to improve on our course management.” He said if the team can successfully do this then the will be able to shoot a respectable score and will place well amongst the other teams.
The men recognize their current strengths as well as their weakness and are working towards their goals, hoping to place higher at the remainder of the tournaments.
The men will compete at their next tournament, the Newman Invitational, in Wichita, Kan. Monday and Tuesday.
The team hopes to work out the kinks in their first round performances in order to place well at this tournament.
According to riderangersride.com, last year at the Newman Invitational, Montgomery was Northwestern’s top finisher with a total score of 223.
He led him team to a seventh place finish with a total score of 937.
Ward said getting a good start in the round has been an ongoing issue for the men.
“I’m hoping this is the week we can break through and have a solid start and improve from there to become a team to be reckoned with,” he said.
The Rangers women will be back in action on Monday and Tuesday as well in Okla. City for a GAC match up.