In its first match of the spring season Monday, the men’s golf team saw something it hadn’t seen all fall: a bump in the road.
The Bruins established themselves as one of the nation’s top teams in the fall season. They won all three of their fall events in dominating fashion under new coach Derek Freeman.
But on Monday, UCLA finally had a bad day.
“As much as we want to play well every single day, golf is just not that type of game,” Freeman said. “But you have to still be able to score when you’re not playing well, and that’s what some of our guys couldn’t do today.”
UCLA now sits 24 strokes behind No. 10 Tennessee after the first day at the PING Arizona Intercollegiate at Arizona National Golf Course in Tucson, Ariz.
Players were scheduled to play 36 holes Monday and 18 holes today, but most players had their days cut short due to darkness. With play halted, the Bruins finished Monday in eighth place.
The event will finish today and the Bruins have almost no chance at a victory. Still, the team can find a positive if it climbs back into the top three, Freeman said.
Despite the team’s tribulations, Kevin Chappell was once again a bright spot. Nationally ranked No. 10 as an individual, Chappell leads all players at 7 under par. The senior shot 67 in his first round of the day and is 3 under par in his second round after 15 holes.
For the day Chappell had 10 birdies and an eagle. After his brilliant performance, he holds a two-shot lead over five players tied at 5 under par.
“When it counts (Chappell) is ready to go,” Freeman said. “That’s the type of leader that he is. That’s what I need out of all my players.”
The All-American Chappell was the only Bruin to break par, and a few of the Bruin golfers struggled mightily.
Jason Kang was at 12 over par after shooting a 78 in his first round. Kang’s day was tainted by a disastrous 11th hole, which is the most difficult on the course. The sophomore scored a quadruple bogey 9 on the 625-yard par 5.
From the tee of that hole, players cannot see where they must hit the fairway, and to reach that spot, they must carry their tee-shot 240 yards. It can be a daunting task, and Kang wasn’t the only Bruin who struggled with it.
Junior Lucas Lee, who was at 8 over par at the end of the day, bogeyed the hole twice. Senior Craig Leslie scored two double bogeys on the 11th, and was at 7 over par.
“It’s just one of those holes where you absolutely have to hit a good shot,” Freeman said.
Rounding out the six-man UCLA team is freshman Philip Francis, who was solid Monday, but hardly spectacular. Francis is in a tie for 24th place as an individual; he sits at 2 over par.
The Arizona National course has played very difficult. The average score has come in at almost 3 over par. With rain in the forecast Monday night, the course could play a bit more easily today.
But the Bruins’ struggles certainly come as a surprise after the team entered the tournament as a favorite.
“The biggest part is that we just weren’t mentally ready to play golf,” Freeman said. “I don’t know if we didn’t have a good offseason or if we didn’t prepare well since we came back.
“We just have to get better.”