The men’s golf team has its sights set on one goal and one goal alone. While UCLA has shown signs of brilliance heading into crunch time, the Bruins have been unable to keep it going consistently enough to finish tournaments where they want to be ““ in first place. Today they will be looking for all that to change.
No. 4 UCLA begins competition today in the 110th NCAA Championships at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg, Va., with their hopes high.
They have played well as of late, keeping the low scores more consistent, and individuals have stepped their games up just a notch more than expected with four straight second-place finishes in the last tournaments. However, second place has not been enough to satisfy the Bruins, who are becoming impatient to get a win and hopeful of concluding the season with a national championship.
“I think (four second-place finishes) is double-edged,” coach O.D. Vincent said. “It’s nice to be in contention in four straight events; but it’s frustrating to come in second place the fourth time.”
Their last tournament was the NCAA West Regionals where the Bruins had a perfect opportunity to win the event. However, South Carolina, a team that was not expected to even finish in the top 10, became the regional champions.
“Winning the regionals would have been a step in the right direction,” junior Kevin Chappell said. “I think it’s bittersweet to come in second. You want to get through, but you also want to win and have some momentum going into the nationals.”
The Gamecocks’ performance demonstrated the clear-cut fact that at regionals each and every team has the chance to step up big and take home first place in a major postseason tournament. However, nationals might be another story altogether. The Bruins are skeptical of another surprise performance from a relatively unknown opponent.
“I think the Cinderella stories are taken out of (nationals). The best team is going to win,” Chappell said.
This season, the Bruins fall under the category of teams competing to be that best team. With their string of high finishes, UCLA has shown that it is a force to be reckoned with.
Sophomore Erik Flores’ remarkable performance at regionals, where he shot an 8-under par, demonstrates the depth and potential that exists throughout the Bruins’ roster.
At this point in the year, every golfer’s score counts. Flores’ first round put the Bruins in a great spot at regionals and was also the second-best score to par in school history.
“I wasn’t surprised to see him play well,” Chappell said. “He put two good rounds together.”
Flores’ low scores take some pressure off Chappell, who consistently has been posting in the top 10 in each of the tournaments played. In fact, Chappell’s performance has been a good estimation of how well the team performs in each tournament. Regionals were an amazing example of how much influence Chappell has on the team and how important it is to the Bruins that he have a strong showing at the NCAA Championships.
“That’s the best way I can help my team, by playing well and that’s the way I look at it,” Chappell said. “I just go there, try to play for myself and that’s going to help the team.”
Chappell has been gearing up for the national championship the whole year, according to coach Vincent. He takes every tournament seriously and is hoping for an especially dominant performance in this year’s nationals.
Last year, the Bruins were not able to get the job done. However, this season, they have grown tremendously and with the experience from this season, the team is optimistic about their chances of earning another national title.
Aside from all the veteran players on the team, freshman Jason Kang has made a splash on his own. He has averaged 73.2 and is excited to make a name for himself this week.
“The more pressure the upperclassmen can take away, the better he can play,” Chappell said.
Junior Daniel Im and sophomore Lucas Lee fill out the roster playing at nationals this week alongside Chappell, Flores and Kang.
A season ago, UCLA tied for seventh place, finishing 5-over par. Chappell, with the rest of the Bruins, is determined to find himself in a very different spot at the end of the tournament.