Missing its No. 1 golfer and its coach, the men's golf team had an uphill battle to improve on disappointing tournaments last December.
In their first tournament, the Rio Pinar Intercollegiate, the team had to play without their best player, Keven Fortin-Simard, due to academic suspension and coach Grant Robbins, who is recovering from back surgery.
However, it didn't faze the three sophomores and two seniors who came out of the gate with the best combined first round total in the tournament.
Led early by Robbie Greenwell, the team had a one-stroke lead over Lamar University after one round. Greenwell's opening round 72 was a career-low mark.
Then the pin placement changed.
Winds reaked havoc on the course.
Sophomore Ian Rochester said those troubles contributed to the struggles that dropped the Tigers to an eighth-place finish out of 18 teams.
"I was hitting the ball really well, but (my) short game was horrible this week," said Rochester.
With pins tucked away in the most secret regions of the green and the many hazards at Rio Pinar Country Club, if an approach shot was off the mark, it spelled disaster.
Rochester was able to adjust however, scoring the lowest one-round score of 71 after putting up the highest individual score in the first round of 78.
Substituting for Robbins was associate athletic director and avid golfer Bob Winn, who also coached the team on an interim basis in the spring of 2003 when the team suffered the passing away of coach Jim Cook.
"He did a great job," said Rochester. "He made us feel real comfortable and relaxed out there."
Mike Regenold seemed to be the most relaxed as he was the most consistent throughout the tournament, scoring rounds of 73-75-75 for a total of 223, tying Rochester for top honors. The pair ultimately tied for 18th place overall. Regenold matched a career-low tournament score.
A senior, Regenold, said he has struggled being the leader of this young team, but has worked at being a better role model and helping the other golfers.
One of those younger golfers is sophomore Gavin Aldridge, who played in his first tournament for The U of M and finished with a score of 233, good for 67th place.
"He played pretty well for being his first tournament," Regenold said.
Robbins said he should be back with the team in time for the All-American Golf Classic hosted by the University of Houston.
