Sam Houston set to host Bayou City Classic
10/11/2015 11:40:00 AM | Men's Golf
Sam Houston State men's golf returns after a week away from competition, as the squads joins with Houston and Rice to host the Bayou City Collegiate Classic on Monday-Tuesday at the par-72, 7,272-yard Golfcrest Country Club in Pearland.
“We did an event with Rice last year and we're glad Houston came on board,” fourth-year head coach Brandt Kieschnick said. “It will probably be the deepest field we see this fall but that's what we want. We want to compete against the best and we've shown we can compete.”
The three area hosts are joined by Abilene Christian, Denver, Houston Baptist, Kansas, Lamar, McNeese State, North Texas, Southern Miss, Texas State, Tulsa and UTSA, to encompass the 14-team field. The two-day, 54-hole tournament opens with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start and 36 holes on Monday while the final 18 will be a split tee start at 8 a.m. on Tuesday.
Sam Houston is seeking to bounce back from an 11th place finish two weeks ago at the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational at Boulder Country Club. Freshman Mason Weld fired a 7-over, 217, to take 21st but no other Bearkat could finish in the top 50.
“We had a good conversation after the last round at Colorado,” Kieschnick said. “I've tried to take them aside a little more and have those conversations. I've told them how much I believe in them. The things we're doing will equal wins and rankings.
“With the right mindset, you can learn from those weeks. You don't ever want to experience it again but good players adjust and are honest with themselves. Our players will do that.”
Despite a struggle to get comfortable on the new course, the Bearkats expect to feel at home at their lone hosted event this season, led by Houston junior transfer Andrew Ertel.
“It's a big golf course,” Kieschnick said. “Andrew Ertel transferred from Houston and that's one of their home courses so he'll be leading us on how to get around it. The guys are excited because we are getting back to our Bermuda grass. It's a ball-strikers course. The greens will be faster and I think our guys will be really comfortable.”
In the squad's opening tournament, Ertel paced the Kats, behind a collegiate-best 11-under, second-place finish, while the team shot 4-under on the final day and finished eighth. The Bearkats have fielded a squad of three freshmen, a sophomore and junior during the first two tournaments and Kieschnick says he can see the growth in the youthful group.
“I think they're maturing each week,” Kieschnick said. “They've worked on the range, on the course and in the gym. They are definitely talented enough to go win. It's another good event for us to get our tournament legs underneath us.”
Ertel leads the team with a 71.83 average round, followed by Weld's 72.67, Jake McCrory's 74.17, Camden DeBonis's 74.20, Logan Yanick's 75.17 and Jesse Massengale's 76.17.
“This week, I want to see our team with the right mindset,” Kieschnick said. “As a team, I don't want to worry about the other teams. I want to see how we play this week then we'll apply it to New Mexico State. I know if we play the way Sam Houston plays, we'll be just fine.”
