The Mississippi State men’s golf team fell to 12th place after a season best opening round in this week’s University Club Intercollegiate Golf Tournament in Baton Rouge, La.
The team’s opening round of 280 was the best opening round score by the Bulldogs since the 1995 Gator Invitational and the best overall round since 1999. But the inconsistency that has marred the Dawgs all season continued to haunt them as they finished the tournament with a 289 and a 294.
Sophomore Greg Huxman finished at a career high 17th with a final score of 211. Huxman fired an opening round 67 in which he had no bogeys. Huxman also had 11 birdies in his first two rounds. Huxman contributed his success to a change in his short game.
“I feel like I played very well. My short game was good. It’s something I’ve always worked on but I’ve really worked hard on it the last three weeks and it paid off.”
Although Huxman was happy with his play he also said with the time off before play resumes next semester he will continue to work on his short game and improve his overall game as well.
Senior Joe Deraney scored the best final round of the Dawgs with a three-under-par 69. Deraney finished with a final score of 213, a score good enough to place him at 24th for the tournament. Deraney’s score may have been lower, but a triple bogey on a par 5 left him with a 74 for the second round. Deraney was disappointed in his play.
“We’re a lot better than our scores showed. The course played really easy, you didn’t have to play very well to have a good score. The course was easy enough for any team to shoot well.”
Following Deraney was senior Tim Satow in 53rd with a 219. Josh Oller finished in 66th place with a combined score of 223.
Jared Jimenez shot a final score of 224, placing him in 69th for the tournament. Jimenez had previously competed as an individual in the Raising Cane Classic earlier in the year but this was his first time to compete as a member of the team.
Jimenez was happy to be competing with the team but was frustrated with his putting.
“I didn’t play really well, I double-bogeyed the last hole in the second round when I could have had a really nice score,” Jimenez said. “Everything went downhill after the first round.” Jimenez said the pin placement was a little tougher in the third round.
“It’s frustrating because my game has been good but my putting has been a problem,” he said. “I’ve hit my greens but then I can’t convert.”
Jimenez and Deraney both plan to work on minor things and fine-tune their swings until play resumes next semester.
“I’ve set some new goals and I’ve got a positive attitude so hopefully things will improve next semester,” Jimenez said.
The team will resume play next semester with a trip to Orlando, Fla., for the Central Florida/ Rio Pinar Intercollegiate Tournament Feb. 14-15.