Golf team dissapoints at Hoosier Invitational

It was a disappointing weekend for the Wright State golf team at the NYX Hoosier Invitational.

WSU finished seventeenth out of 18 schools, ahead of only IUPUI. Indiana won the event and finished with a final score of 850. WSU finished with a score of 915.

Junior Rick Denny (225) led the way for WSU as he finished tied for forty-first and shot a team-high round of 74 on the final day.

“It was rough,” senior Paul VanDeventer said. “We didn’t play very well, we have a very young team, and with the weather we haven’t been able to practice much.”

VanDeventer finished third on the WSU team behind Denny and freshman Connor Lash. Senior Cody Fixari and sophomore Nick Capozzoli finished seventy-third and eighty-third, respectively. The Raiders placed third out of the three Horizon League teams competing as Youngstown State and Detroit each finished tied for eleventh.

WSU shot rounds of 303, 308 and 304 and failed to reach their pre-tournament goals.

“We set a goal of shooting 295 or better every round, but with a lack of practice we’re just trying to improve each week and peak during conference,” VanDeventer said.

The conference championship is coming up later this month in Florida (April 26-28). Their last precursor is the Detroit Titans Invitational this Friday and Saturday. Despite the sluggish performance this past weekend in Indiana, VanDeventer believes WSU has the talent to win a championship this season.

“We need to improve in a few areas over the next few weeks in order to win the conference championship which I think will happen,” VanDeventer said. “I’m trying to stay positive. I feel that is important being a leader and with having a young team.”

For VanDeventer, the Raiders will need an improved focus and a positive attitude on the links to turn things around.

“We need to make sure to focus on the shot at hand and not [be] worrying about the score until the round is over,” VanDeventer said. “They (WSU) are good enough to play, so don’t let nerves get in the way of succeeding. Also, we need to stay positive at all times during the round.”