LU Golf Team Dominates At First Tournament After Yearlong Hiatus

After almost a year eagerly waiting for tournament play, Liberty’s golf team excelled at the Timuquana Collegiate Tournament in Jacksonville, Florida, onJan. 25-26. 

Due to COVID-19, the team’s competitions were cut short in early spring 2020, and according to Head Coach Jeff Thomas, the long hiatus from competition left many players feeling nervous and excited. 

“Having the chance to play again was something that I was looking forward to, and I was actually really excited, even if it’s stressful,” senior Alexandre Fuchs said. 

Fuchs scored six points under par in the tournament and tied for eighth place.

Even with that excitement, however, the Flames started sluggishly. After one round of play, the team was tied for eighth place out of 11 teams. In the following rounds, however, the team clawed its way to the top: tying the University of Florida at the end of the third and final round. The Flames fell to the Gators in the eventual playoff and finished the tournament in second place. 

“I think the first day we got off to a little bit of a slow start and once we found our footing, everyone kind of settled into it,” redshirt sophomore Isaac Simmons said. “The finish we had is kind of what we expected. We were confident heading into it, and I think all the practice and hard work paid off.”

Redshirt senior Kieran Vincent led the team in performing well against strong competition.

“We went up against the odds and almost took down guys like Florida and managed to beat people like Oklahoma State,” Vincent said.

Vincent played a vital role in the Flames tournament, scoring eight points under par: a score that placed him in a tie for the fourth-best overall score. 

“For me, firstly the team was able to have all four, five guys playing well out there,” Vincent said. “That is a bonus knowing that it was not just one or two guys carrying the team, but it was a team effort. For me to play my part, that obviously helped out. It is always good to start the year with such great success, but I was just more happy with the team that we gave ourselves a shot.”

Thomas believes that the team benefits from the maturity and excellence of an experienced core. 

“They know what’s going on and they know the routine, so it’s pretty easy,” Thomas said.

Despite all the trials that it has faced throughout 2020’s unpredictability, the team showed a promising start to 2021. 

“All in all, it was great to have good success earlier in the season because I think that is going to drive the rest of the season. (We’ll) bank off that confidence and go through the rest of the season with a lot more confidence on our shoulders,” Vincent said. 

By avoiding distractions, this season could end with historic success for the golf program. 

“I think this team could probably be the best team we have ever had at Liberty. I am excited about that,” Simmons said. “I am excited for the potential this team has, and I think that if we don’t worry about the outcomes and stay focused on the things we control, which is how much we practice and our focus, we’ll have a lot of success this year.” 

Christian Shields is a Copy Editor.