No 3. Texas men’s golf overcame a slow start to finish fifth at the Fighting Illini Invitational.
Hosted at the Olympia Fields Country Club, the 15-team tournament drew in talent from all parts of the country, including the reigning national champions, Oklahoma State University, who carded six-under over three rounds to clinch the win.
Graduate senior Matt Comegys delivered a strong performance all three days with consecutive under-par rounds. He finished up on Sunday at five-under par and tied for second, his best collegiate placement. Showing consistency throughout the weekend, Comegys kept Texas in the hunt after finishing Friday in 11th place. His performance displayed his skill and poise under pressure.
Senior Tommy Morrison had a shaky start, ending the Friday round at eight-over with four straight bogeys and two double bogeys, but improved significantly throughout the tournament, shooting three-under on Sunday to end the weekend tied for 36th. Even after a costly double bogey in the final round, he responded with consecutive birdies on the competitive back nine, making a crucial push late in the day.
Despite climbing six spots in the leaderboard after a disappointing Friday round, the Longhorns posted 51 bogeys or worse throughout the tournament, with only one eagle coming from Comegys on the 11th hole. Still, the team showed resilience and improvement in its performance following the first round. Specifically, in the opening round, the Longhorns carded three bogeys on the par-three, eighth hole. However, in the following two rounds, no Texas player recorded a score over par on that hole.
Sophomore Eduardo Derbez Torres finished tied for 62nd, the lowest on the team, with senior Christian Maas tied for 42nd and sophomore Daniel Bennett tied for 33rd. While all three players faced struggles throughout the weekend, their performance still contributed to Texas gaining six places after the opening round.
Senior Luke Potter finished three-over while competing as an individual, carding just five birdies and eight bogeys. He noted what he needed to tweak in preparation for the tournament.
“I’ve played the golf course a few times in years past,” Potter said. “I kind of know what I’m getting into, and it’s going to be more of a premium on the ball striking side.”
Texas was able to take down No. 6 Arizona State University this weekend, the champions of the season-opening Sahalee Players Championship, where Texas had narrowly finished just one shot behind the Sun Devils. Defeating Arizona State could give Texas the confidence it needs when facing off against highly ranked opponents, even when they face early round inconsistencies.
Looking ahead, the Longhorns will compete in Fort Worth starting Sept. 29th at the Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational hosted by Texas Christian University. The Longhorns will compete against 15 teams, including six universities in the Southeastern Conference, giving them another chance to show their strengths against some of the best teams in the nation. Relying on Comegy’s consistency and Morrison’s veteran leadership will be crucial when navigating the competitive field.