The Wyoming Cowboys mens golf team will head to Tempe, Arizona to play in the Arizona State Thunderbird Invitational. It is a three day event that begins today.
It is a nationally recognized tournament that will see some of the best golf teams in the nation. UW head coach Joe Jensen sees it as a challenge and is excited for his young team.
“It’s a great golf course, a very difficult field. There is a great chance that we could face the eventual national champions,” Jensen said.
The Cowboys last played a month ago in another tournament in Arizona called the Arizona National Invitational Tournament. The Pokes finished in last place there, but it is more about getting the invites and experience at these tournaments then winning them right now.
“I am trying to develop a program where we get a blend of national events like this as well as tournaments where we have a chance to go have a top five finish or a chance to win,” Jenson said.
This is a young team that has four true freshman. There are only two upper class men on the team. Junior Kamrin Allen is the only one of the Pokes that has at least two years of experience. Jenson knows that they aren’t going to go out and win the ASTI, but he loves how this team has been preparing for it.
“They have been just doing a good job, their attitudes are good, they are doing great in school and working hard. We are just going to go and do our best,” Jenson said.
This invitational will be more of a chance to learn what it is like to play at an event than trying to win it.
“We have had a couple of weeks, you know spring break. I have a young team, we are learning. We are learning about preparing, we are learning about playing well and we are learning to elevate our game,” Jensen said.
As for who coach thinks will play well this weekend:
“Man who knows? We are so young and with youth comes inconsistency. That is a little bit of why I am just not sure,” Jenson said.
Sophomore Ryan Wallen was the top Cowboy finisher the last time they golfed. He tied for 42nd place at the ANIT and was eight over par. Before that, at the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate, freshman Glenn Workman was the top finisher for the Pokes with a score of 227 (+11). Kamrin Allen finished as the top Poke at the Cowboy Southern Dunes Invitational with a score of 217 (+1). It is a group that could have anyone come out on top.
“At the end of the day, what I really want to see out of this group is play the way they are capable of playing. If that can happen, there is no doubt that we can beat a couple of teams,” Jensen said.
The Arizona State Thunderbird Invitational begins today and will end on Saturday, April 4.
Ryan Wallen competes in a tournament from a previous season. Cowboys golf will be in Tempe Arizona this weekend for the Arizona State Thunderbird Invitational.
