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The University of Idaho men’s golf team traveled to Santa Ana, Calif. for the UC Irvine Anteater Invitational Monday with hopes of returning with a victory. But the team’s new assistant coach, Jon Reehorn, said his players were caught off guard.
The team shot 17-over-par 305, a fifth place finish out of 10 teams. It was Idaho’s first invitational of the spring season.
“The guys played pretty well in the first round, but the second two rounds were just OK,” Reehorn said.
The golf team participates in tournaments in both the fall and spring for a total of 10 tournaments throughout the year.
“I think they were just out of competition mode because they had not competed since November,” Reehorn said.
Senior Ben Weyland finished ninth for Idaho with a 54-hole two-over 218.
Sophomore Brad Tensen, who bogeyed four of his first six holes and who was seven over after the first round, bolstered a comeback to end the tournament at eight-over 224 and tied for 18th.
Junior Russell Grove was the other top-25 finish for the Vandals — scoring nine-over 225 to tie for 24th. Senior Colter Kautzmann tied for 34th at 228 and sophomore David Nuhn tied for 53rd at 241.
The point system for golf works differently than any other sport, Kauztmann said.
“With five people competing at each tournament, we take the top four scores,” Kauztmann said. “We are definitely going to make a statement this season.”
The Vandals are hoping to regain successes of two years ago, when Idaho hosted a tournament and took the title. The team played in Utah where they took third place at the Purple and Red Invitational the same year.
This spring the team is not hosting any home tournaments. They will travel to Utah State, Southern California twice and New Mexico
Weyland is looking forward to the spring season. He and Kauztman are on scholarships and have been training indoors this winter by hitting golf balls and lifting in the Kibbie Dome.
Reehorn was hired this season to work with the men’s and women’s golf teams. He played at Washington State where he took the title his senior year at the Oregon Duck Invitational. He was also named second team at the All Pacific Athletic Conference.
After graduating from Washington State, he traveled to University of Louisville for graduate school and was a graduate assistant coach. In the fall of 2004, he was an assistant coach for the University of Washington until last year when he decided to come to Idaho.
“It was a great opportunity to further my career,” Reehorn said.
The women’s team won the WAC tournament last year, and will compete for the first time in the spring season at the San Jose State Invitational March 3-4. The men will be back in action at the Fresno State Lexus Golf Class March 10-11.
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