The men’s and women’s golf teams play a fall and spring season each, giving fans a fill of the sport year-round.
Both teams start their fall seasons in hopes of continuing the success they had last spring. They will take the winter off then resume play next spring when the conference tournaments are held.
Last season, the women’s team placed third in the West Coast Conference Championships. The men did similarly well, returning to the NCAA Regionals, which were held in Pullman, Wash., for the first time in three years.
Coach Carrie Roberts is expecting the women to continue to play well, mostly because she welcomes back several dependable, experienced players, and she’s excited about two incoming freshmen.
“I’m expecting us to play well and have a really good fall season,” Roberts said. “We’ve got four tournaments, and we’ve played every course, so we’re familiar with them. I’m looking for a very consistent and positive season.”
This season will be the team’s third in the WCC.
Last season, then-freshman Lea Garner achieved three top-20 finishes, proving that she’s a player to watch this fall. Seniors Annika Afoa Kahaiali’i and Selu Fotu hope to improve as well and build upon successful 2012–13 seasons.
The BYU women also welcome two newcomers to their team, Brooklyn Anderson from Idaho Falls and Annie Yang from British Colombia, Canada.
Roberts has high hopes for the new talent.
“I expect them to contribute a lot,” she said. “I believe Annie will step in and be one of our top contributors.”
The women’s team will play host for its first tournament of the season on Sept. 9–10. The two-day event gives the Cougars a chance to play on a familiar course, Springville’s Hobble Creek, just south of campus.
Gearing up for the season kickoff next week, Roberts said it will be an advantage to be playing so close to home.
“It’s nice to be close. We’re familiar with the course, and the girls can sleep in their own beds and eat their own food,” Roberts said. “It’s nice to play in front of family and friends as well.”
BYU’s men’s team first hits the fairway on Sept. 16–17. The season opener is at the Husky Invitational in Bremerton, Wash. After losing star senior Zac Blair, an All-American, the Cougars will rely on seniors Jordan Hammer, Justin Keiley and a couple of players who had an excellent summer playing on the Utah amateur circuit.
Cole Ogden, a junior from Syracuse, Utah, won the prestigious Utah State Amateur Championship and a handful of other events. Sophomore Joe Parkinson played well over the summer, too, and led the Utah Open at one point.
The team will compete in tournaments in Washington, California and New Mexico this fall, including the Williams H. Tucker Intercollegiate at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. This is annually one of the better college golf tournaments in the country, drawing programs such as New Mexico, Colorado, San Francisco and Baylor.
