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SEPT.
29 — Goshen Rebounds On Brink Of MCC Tourney
After disaster
Monday, Leafs regroup to fire 356 at Huntington Friday |
Huntington, IN — After posting
its highest score under third-year head coach Cory Furman on Monday
at Briar Leaf Golf Course, the Goshen College men’s golf
team rebounded to fire a respectable 356 at the Huntington University
Forester Fall Invitational on Friday, the program’s second
lowest tally during Furman’s tenure. While the Leafs’ 392
at Purdue University-North Central (click here for article) left
all involved with a bitter taste in their mouths early in the week,
Furman said Friday’s effort was much improved – all
in time for the upcoming Mid-Central Conference Championships next
week.
“You’re not going to win anything shooting a 356, but
it was at least back on the track of improvement for us collectively,” Furman
said following Friday’s result. “Our goal all season
has been to get better from match to match. Up until today, we’ve
been going the wrong direction.”
Following a season-opening 332 at its own Goshen College Invitational,
Furman’s squad has watched its scoring average deteriorate,
firing chronologically higher scores in the process. Tallies of
370 and 376 were topped by Monday’s 392, and it looked as
if the team was in serious jeopardy of flirting with 400 by the
MCC Championships.
That all changed Friday at Huntington, however, as Goshen was able
to lower its score from last season’s Forester Fall Invite
despite its top two golfers carding 85’s each.
“We’ve been having some guys struggle with their swing,
and for the most part, those problems got some major fixing today,” Furman
said. “When you’re having trouble just getting the
ball around the course, you have no chance to score. At least today
we were putting ourselves in position to make shots. Our putting
and chipping wasn’t as good as it could have been.”
Such was the case for both senior Joel Kauffman and freshman Zach
Wright, the Leafs’ number one and two golfers, respectively.
Kauffman posted a 42-43 — 85 despite a consecutive, nine-hole
run of one-under par golf; Wright carded the same finale (in a
40-45 breakdown) despite making just one par on the back nine.
“Our team goes the way Joel and Zach go, and today it was
just barely not all together,” Furman said. “Joel struggled
with his putting off and on. He played some brilliant golf in the
middle
of his round and then took some high numbers, something he rarely
does. Zach did well after missing Monday’s meet with turf
toe on both feet, but he too missed some opportunities to lower
his score.
Both of their swings looked in tune though, and that is a good
thing heading into next week.”
Goshen’s next four golfers — senior Tyler Roth, juniors
Brett Troyer and Chad Unrein and freshman Shawn Martz — all
posted improvements in varying areas, leaving Furman with a positive
sense. Troyer shot a season-low 43 only to be followed by a disappointing
54 on the front (Goshen started the shotgun tee-off on the back
nine) while Martz re-grooved his swing to find a 42 on the back
(followed by a 48 on the front). Unrein struggled to a 52 on the
back but rebounded to fire a 47 on the front, while Roth stayed
consistent shooting a 49-47 — 96, Goshen’s final counted
score on the day.
“Our bottom four guys all showed some positive things today,” Furman
said. “Both Brett and Tyler got some new clubs in their bags
and hit them well. Shawn finally struck the ball with some consistency,
though his short game didn’t follow fully yet. Chad Unrein
has struggled with his swing but stayed with it today, going to
the range to hit balls in the dark as soon as we got back to Goshen.
Any of these four can post scores to count for us, and I think
that all of them have a great chance to put up season-lows heading
into next week’s MCC Championships.”
Huntington won the team trophy Friday, firing a miraculous 291
to outdo Spring Arbor University’s 301. Davenport University
finished third posting a 305, followed by Cornerstone University
(309), Tri-State University (309), University of St. Francis (315),
Grace College (330) and Goshen.
Huntington’s Spencer Batt collected individual medalist honors
on the day, firing a 34-35 — 69, bettering the second-place
clip of 72.
Goshen will next compete in the MCC Championships at Blackthorn
Golf Course, beginning Monday morning with a shotgun start at 8
a.m. The championships will feature a two-day, 27-hole format,
with tee times beginning at 8 a.m. both Monday and Tuesday.
Final Results
Huntington University Forester Fall Invitational
LaFontaine Golf Course
GOSHEN COLLEGE – (356) Kauffman, 42/43 85;
Wright, 40/45 85; Unrein, 47/52 99; Martz, 48/42 90; Troyer,
54/43 97; Roth, 49/47 96
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  Senior
Joel Kauffman
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