Author: Emily Daggett
With less than two weeks remaining in the season, the Occidental Golf team prepares for their remaining tournaments and looks ahead to the promising future. The Tigers hosted the Occidental Tournament at Oakmont Country Club in Glendale, Monday, April 9. As a team, Oxy placed fifth out of the six SCIAC teams present. They defeated Pomona-Pitzer but fell to La Verne, Redlands, Claremont and Cal Lutheran.
At the SCIAC Championships on April 30, the team hopes to defeat both Pomona-Pitzer and Whittier College. If each player on the team performs to his full potential, the Tigers have a good opportunity to challenge for fourth place. “We have all had good rounds but not really at the same time,” Captain Aaron Steinberg (junior) said. “Everyone has had their good and bad days,” Alex Safransky (first-year) said. “I’m hoping we can all get into a solid groove of good play before heading out for the SCIAC tournament.”
The individual inconsistencies, more than anything, are a sign of the team’s overall inexperience playing at the collegiate level. The team’s four first-years and three out of four junior players are new to the team this year and have all improved throughout the season. “The highlight of the season so far has been seeing our team grow together,” Richard Highsmith (first-year) said. “Given the lack of experience our team possesses, we can’t expect much more than [the] much-needed learning experience from this year.”
The Tigers competed in five tournaments so far and have two remaining. The April 9 tournament at Oakmont featured several impressive individual performances in addition to the solid team showing. Tom Logan (first-year) and Highsmith had good days. Logan finished tied for 24th with an 83, and Highsmith, who has been battling an illness, placed 27th with an 84. Steinberg had a big breakthrough and posted a 76, which placed him 7th overall. As captain and the team’s only returning player, Steinberg, called “The A-Train” by his teammates, has served as a guide for the new players. “[Aaron] is a very skilled player with the ability to go low when he wants to,” Highsmith said, “Even though he is a great golfer he is an even better teammate who offers useful advice when needed.”Steinberg also helped keep the team entertained during a three day tournament in Lompoc, just north of Santa Barbara. The tournament, hosted by Cal Lutheran, featured 14 teams from around the nation. “It was the first time we all got to hang out together off the course,” Logan said. “We had a great time.” Logan led the Tigers with an impressive performance all three days of the tournament. He posted 77s the first two days and finished with an 82, placing him tied for 24th overall. Steinberg finished in a tie for 51st.
The trip provided the Tigers a chance to become a closer team. “[The trip was] definitely a bonding experience,” Safransky said. The team’s bond improves individual performances. “We’ve definitely all become much better friends, and we are starting to really play well as a team,” Logan said. Oxy will have a few more chances to continue their improvements. On April 26 they will take on SCIAC teams once again at the Cal Lutheran Invitational and the following Saturday, April 30 at the SCIAC Championships. The Tigers hope to do well, but have their sights set on next year. “With no one graduating and hopefully at least two more strong players coming in, next year should be a year when we can really compete.” Steinberg said. “Last year three teams from SCIAC went to Nationals and I think we definitely have a shot of accomplishing that next year.”
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