Ben Helwig
CONTRIBUTOR
Although it may not feel like it outside, spring sports are right around the corner, as is the second half of the season for men’s and women’s golf.
Both teams will get back into action in February, leading up to the ever-important conference tournament in late April down in Newton, Kan.
For those unfamiliar, golf is indeed a split-season sport, meaning half of the season is played from September to October, with the second half being played February-April. The fall half of the season, for both teams, saw struggles, but also a gradual improvement.
The women’s team played in five tournaments, including a tournament they hosted down in Nebraska City. The women placed highest in their last event of the fall, the Creighton Classic, earning fourth out of seven teams.
Jordan York, a senior from Scottsbluff, Neb., carried the torch for the team in most tournaments, shooting a team-best average of 78.6 per round over the course of the fall. York also shot a team-best 73 at a tournament back in September, where she finished tied for 18th overall out of 98 total golfers.
The Mavs also saw improvement over the season from freshman Zora Gittens. Gittens is shooting an average of 80 per round, plus finished tied for 11th, a team-high, at the last tournament of the fall.
As for the men’s team, they only played in four tournaments, but also saw a fair amount of success.
Omaha placed, second overall out of seventeen teams at the Derek Dolenc Invitational in Madison, Ill. In late September. The team shot a total of +2 as a team, two strokes better than the third-place squad.
The tournament was also a banner tournament for team-leader Kevin Gordon. Gordon, a senior from Whitby, Ontario, was -7 under for the tournament. He finished second overall individually out of 94 golfers.
The other tournaments did not see the Mavs fair as well, failing to finish in the top five at any other tournament.
The aforementioned Gordon is the points leader on the team, averaging 71.1 per round on the season, four strokes below his career average of 75.2 Another solid standout is junior, Witchayapat Sinsrang. At a tournament down in N.C. in October, Sinsrang finished individually tied for fourth overall. His third round 65 is a team low for the season.
The women resume play February 7 for a two-day tournament hosted by Ball State University down in Dade City, Fla. Another second-half highlight is the Edwin Watts/Kiawah Island Spring Classic in Kiawah Island, S.C. The tournament features 43 teams; the biggest tournament UNO will participate in all season. Total, the ladies will play in six tournaments in the spring.
The men’s team will resume play a bit later. The Mavs head to Savannah, G.A. to play in a tournament hosted by William & Mary February 16-17. In total, the men’s team will participate in seven tournaments in the spring.
The end for both teams’ seasons will be at Summit League Tournament in Newton, Kan. The women will play April 21-23. The men will then play April 28-30.
