The Windom Memorial in Skokie, Ill., played host to the largest golf tournament of the Vandal men’s season Sunday and Monday.
Idaho came into this tournament confident after winning the Jim Colbert Invitational in Manhattan, Kan., two weeks before. This confidence carried into the first round where the Vandals finished in the middle-of-the-pack at ninth. From there, things started to go downhill.
“We just played horrible the last round and then we weren’t able to do the things that we’ve been able to do the last couple tournaments, which was make a strong finish,” coach John Means said.
The Vandals played steadily worse during the last two rounds of the tournament, and finished 48 over par at 888 and in 14th place among 17 teams. Arkansas won the tournament with 847, and Michigan’s Matt Thompson won the 54-hole tournament 5-under par at 205.
Means said the golf course was designed in 1898 by famous golfer Donald Ross. This old style golf course has severe greens and
bunkers, Means said, and the layout gives golfers the in accurate impression that they can take chances.
“It looks like you can gamble and do some really good things but you can’t,” Means said. “As soon as you gamble and make a mistake, you end up with a double or triple bogey.”
Wind was also a factor during this tournament, but Means acknowledges that all the teams had to play under the same
conditions.
On this golf course, the Vandals’ game plan was to play conservatively. They did this through the first round but in the second and third rounds, they started to gamble. This resulted in four of the five Idaho golfers finishing with round three scores worse than those of the first round.
“It shouldn’t happen,” Means said. “This team isn’t young. They have to stick to the game plan.”
Senior Stefan Richardson was the only Idaho golfer to improve in the final round. He shot a 72 and finished second on the team behind senior Jarred Bossio. Bossio, who finished 6 over par and tied for 24th overall, called this his worst tournament so far this year but said he takes encouragement from the fact that he still had a top-25 finish.
“We all just struggled,” Bossio said. “We had our whole team kind of off our game and it definitely showed.”
Idaho’s poor performance affected its national rank, as the Vandals dropped from 62nd to 138th in the Golfstat Relative Ranking. The Vandals left the Memorial feeling disappointed but they know that one of their toughest tournament is behind them.
“This course was definitely one that is going to be more challenging than probably any other course we play,” Bossio said. “I think we’ll be more mentally prepared for other courses.”
The Vandals look to their next tournament on Oct. 24 in Las Cruces, N.M., where they hope to get back to the disciplined style of golf they had been playing all season.