The boys are back in town after five days of golf in South Carolina. Five members of the Hillsdale College golf team traveled south on Tuesday to compete in the Newberry College Invitational. The tournament was held on the famed Ocean Course on Kiawah Island in South Carolina.
Amid perfect weather, the Chargers tied for sixth out of thirteen teams in their first event of the spring season.
Freshman Liam Purslowe led the team with scores of 71 and 74, tied for second in the tournament. Sophomore Joe Torres shaved nine shots off his first-day score for a second round 72 and tied for 30th. Freshman Joel Pietila shot a second-round 73 to finish tied for 40th. Sophomore Logan Kauffman and Freshman Peter Beneteau shot tournament scores of 161 and 162, respectively.
The Chargers’ performance is especially impressive in light of the context of competition. As an out-of-conference tournament, Hillsdale played against teams that were able to practice outdoors throughout the winter months — a luxury Hillsdale players did not enjoy. Further, The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island is known as one of the most difficult golf courses in the country; it was home to the Ryder Cup in 1991 and the PGA Championship in 2012.
Pietila emphasized that for the first tournament of the season, with players shaking off the winter rust, there was “probably not a more difficult course we could have played.”
“There was not a single shot you could relax on,” Pietila said. “With one bad swing you found yourself a position that is difficult to get out of.”
Pietila believes that playing the challenging course helped players focus on which areas they need to improve.
“On a less difficult course that’s more difficult to learn,” he said.
Torres said the transition into spring is difficult, as players’ short games suffer during the offseason. The golf simulator is “definitely helpful for technique and form,” he said, but it does not help prepare for course management the way that playing outside does.
Nevertheless, Torres says highlights of the tournament include two birdies he made on the par-4 third hole. By comparison, on the same hole during the PGA Championship in 2012, Rory McIlroy, the world’s No. 3 ranked player, drove his ball into a tree.
Purslowe believes the physical conditioning with strength and conditioning coach Pat Gifford helped prevent fatigue during the 54-hole tournament. Head coach Nathan Gilchrist, however, attributes Liam’s strong showing to his patience.
“Liam doesn’t waver from his game plan. He just sticks to what he knows how to do. He trusts himself and has a positive outlook. That is what is most important if you’re going to be successful in golf,” Gilchrist said.
The entire Charger golf team will head to Houston, Texas, March 3-5 for intense practice and play before heading into the heart of the season, finally scratching the itch to play outside again.
The Chargers will then play in Georgetown, Kentucky March 18-19.
“I’m looking forward to a great spring season after a long winter,” Gilchrist said. “The guys are looking forward to reaping the fruits of their labor.”
