SJU golf starts the season off strong

The SJU golf team had an explosive start to their season, and they’ve been on fire ever since.

The Johnnies started off their season with a win over 18 teams in their 2021-22 season opener at the Augsburg Invitational. Four Johnnie golfers also placed in the top ten.

They continued their winning streak at the Minnesota Classic where the SJU second team took the third-place prize.

This season looks and feels drastically different than the previous season. With COVID- 19 restrictions loosening, practices and tournaments have mostly returned to normal.

“We don’t have to wear masks while we are practicing outside, at tournaments we are paired up with other teams/players, we are back to the way the college golf experience is supposed to be,” senior captain Joe Abdo said.

“This season has been great so far. Last year we didn’t get our fall season so we were excited to have the opportunity to compete again in the fall weather… being able to all practice together and having less restrictions in general has been very beneficial to our team chemistry,” junior Thomas Gutzmer said.

As for the season, the SJU golf team has set themselves up with a strong start.

“The team’s highlight this season has been winning both of our meets and playing well as a team on the final day of our second tournament,” sophomore Nate Loxtercamp said. “We are off to a better start than last year, and I hope to continue improving for the rest of our season.”

“We have awesome coaches that want us to succeed and be the best we can be,” Abdo said.

SJU golf head coach Michael Whitlock is looking forward to a stellar rest of the season, “Our best quality as a team is that we are deep, have lots of good players and we have guys who want to win,” Whitlock said.

Coach Whitlock also laid out some of the goals for the team this season. “Our goals are to win MIAC and finish top five at the National Championship.”

Gutzmer and Loxtercamp also believe that the team could win big.

“We have now won our first two tournaments of the season, which is exactly what we had set out to do. Our ultimate goal for this fall season is to win the MIAC Championship, getting ourselves in position to compete for a National Championship this spring,” Gutzmer said.

“We have bigger goals of winning the national tournament, but we have to take care of business at the MIAC tournament this fall first,” Loxtercamp said.

Abdo also believes that it is important to focus on personal goals.

“My main goal I have been working towards is to not be so hard on myself on and off the course. I am trying to be happier with the game—smile, smile, enjoy. With it being the last year of collegiate golf, I want to make the best of it and have fun,” Abdo said.

The SJU golf team makes its next appearance on home turf at the St. Cloud Country Club and Blackberry Ridge Golf Course for the SJU Fall Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 18 at 12 p.m., with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. the following day, Sunday, Sept. 19.