Men’s Golf Finishes Second in Michigan

The University of Central Oklahoma men’s golf team finished second at the Regional Preview in  Michigan last Tuesday, shooting an 869, 17-over-par total over three rounds at The Meadows Golf  Club.  

The Bronchos finished seven strokes behind tournament host and winner Grand Valley State. UCO moved up one spot in the team standings during the final round. 

The second-place finish came one week after UCO won The Mule for the third consecutive season.  

This week, once more, UCO was led individually by freshman William Whorton, tying for third with a 1-under-par 212. 

Whorton opened the tournament with back-to-back rounds of 71 before finishing with a 1-under  70 in the final round. His performance marked another strong result early in his first collegiate season.  

Whorton said he approached the tournament with the same preparation and mindset that helped him succeed earlier this month, when he won the first tournament. 

“I tried my best to keep the process the same, both how I approached it mentally and how I  prepared physically,” Whorton said. “Since it worked the first time, I thought it would work  again.”

Nick Canales finished tied for fifth at 213, one stroke behind Whorton. 

On Monday, he had rounds of 70 & 68, and he posted a 4-over-par on the last round. The Bronchos also received contributions from Ty Hyatt and the rest of the lineup as UCO finished second as a team. 

Hyatt posted scores of 78 and 73 on Monday, and finished with a round of 69 for a final score of  7-over-par for a total of 220 and an individual 22nd-place finish.  

Bryant Polhill posted a result of 226 with rounds of 73, 77, and 76. 

Rett Hughes was also in the lineup, completing the tournament with a final score of 244, with rounds of 76,88 and 80.  

For Whorton, the tournament was another opportunity to adjust to the level of competition in collegiate golf. 

“The biggest adjustment from high school to college is how much better the team and the field as a whole is than what you find in high school golf,” Whorton said. “Everyone playing has the  ability to shoot low scores.” 

Whorton said he has also focused on improving his course management during his first season,  with help from his coaches and teammates. 

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is how to manage a golf course better and understand how to play the odds so that they’re in your favor,” Whorton said. 

UCO will return to competition Sept. 28 & 29 at the Holiday Inn Express Invitational hosted by Missouri Western in St. Joseph, Missouri.