The 2011-2012 season was deja vu all over again for the UCLA men’s golf team.
In 2011, the Bruins lost in the quarterfinal of NCAA Championship match play and saw the early departure of then-junior Gregor Main, thought by many to be one of UCLA’s top golfers.
Despite inconsistent play throughout the 2011-2012 season, the Bruins’ deep and talented roster helped them advance comfortably to the second round of the national championship.
But once again, in the NCAA Championship match play quarterfinal, UCLA suffered a heartbreaking loss that came down to rising junior Anton Arboleda’s missed final putt on the 18th hole at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.
This summer, lightning struck the team for the second time when the Bruins lost another talented golfer early, only this time there was no question: The Bruins lost their top golfer, Patrick Cantlay.
Just a few weeks following the loss, then-sophomore Cantlay, winner of National Player of the Year awards and the No. 1-ranked amateur in the world, announced that he’d be going professional after just two seasons at UCLA.
Although losing a player of Cantlay’s caliber certainly won’t help the Bruins, his departure presents the opportunity for talented players that were overshadowed by Cantlay to step into the limelight.
UCLA enters the fall with a talented roster balanced with youth and experience, but its strength is in its upperclassmen.
Arboleda and rising seniors Pontus Widegren and Pedro Figueiredo each experienced a high level of success this year, all having stretches as the team’s best golfer throughout the season.
Arboleda, often finishing in or near the top-10, was one of the most consistent golfers on a team that often struggled to establish stability atop leaderboards with low scores.
Widegren was up-and-down throughout the year, but showed flashes of top form with four top-10 finishes in collegiate events and success in international amateur events like the recent Palmer Cup, where he helped Europe to a dominating win over the United States.
If not for Cantlay, Figueiredo may have been the Bruins’ best last season. In 11 appearances, Figueiredo had six top-10 finishes, including one win.
Finally, leading UCLA’s underclassmen this fall will be rising sophomore Jay Hwang. Hwang didn’t get much time in the traveling team rotation, but did have one top-10 finish and competed in the Farmers Insurance Open, a PGA Tour event.
Despite recent disappointments, a roster full of strong returnees, along with a good recruiting class, has the Bruins hopeful that they can set a new trend come next season.
Compiled by Steven Covella, Bruin Sports senior staff.