The UCLA men’s golf team is fresh off its first national championship in 20 years. Now they face the daunting task of defending that title.
The Bruins have a young, promising team this year, but they face a number of challenges heading into the spring season. After losing many golfers to graduation and the professional ranks, the team only returns two of its top six golfers from last year, Erik Flores and Philip Francis, and only four letter-winners overall.
Second-year coach Derek Freeman will have his hands full preparing this year’s team for a run at the national championship, but he is confident that by practicing correctly, everyone on the team will get better.
“Right after fall season, we had individual meetings and addressed things they needed to work on in the offseason,” Freeman said. “We make sure we are getting better every single day.”
Seniors Flores and James Lee look to carry the young team. Lee, coming off a six-month wrist injury, is itching to get back on the course. He contributed to the team last year but will need to play a larger role for the Bruins this year for them to be successful.
“I can’t wait to get back out there playing,” Lee said. “I’ve been hungry to compete and help my team.”
Flores, a two-time All-American, is the leader on and off the course for the Bruins. He knows that in order for UCLA to make a run at repeating as NCAA champions, their underclassmen will have to contribute a great deal.
“I believe in them,” Flores said of the underclassmen. “I believe that they’ll be there in the end playing well, and that’s when it matters.”
While expectations are high this year, things could have gone better during the fall season. The team’s best finish was third place at the CordeValle Collegiate in November, a tournament they won the previous season.
Leading the Bruins during the fall was freshman Gregor Main with a 72.5 scoring average and a second-place finish at the Cal Poly Tournament in October. Sophomore Philip Francis finished the fall season with a 74.0 scoring average, a top-10 finish, and a final round of 66 at the CordeValle.
“We were regarded very highly,” sophomore Philip Francis said. “We didn’t necessarily live up to the expectations during the fall season.”
Freeman views the fall season as a time to see where your game needs improvement.
“It is important because you have to establish where you are as a player versus your peers,” Freeman said. “It shows where you need to work and how you need to get better.”
Coaches and players felt good about their preparation during winter break and feel confident that if they follow Freeman’s intense, but structured routine, they can once again contend for a national championship.
“He put the fight in us,” Lee said. “And he pushed us to be the best. He kept telling us to be great, not just good.”
Although the team does have a lot of work to do, they are also optimistic about the spring.
“Even though this is a completely different team that doesn’t mean our best golf isn’t good enough to win,” Flores said. “The pressure isn’t really there, but we are still reigning national champions, and it feels good.”