Golf Invitational | Graphic by Grace Merkle | The Wright State Guardian
Wright State University golf dominated the competition at its own Invitational on April 17, taking a first-place finish in a field of 13 teams.
The tournament win is the eighth team win for the Raiders this fall and spring, out of their eleven tournaments participated in so far.
With WSU beating five Horizon League teams in their invitational, they are the clear favorites in the upcoming HL Championship.
“Obviously, coming off of a win, it’s hard not to feel good,” Conner Lash, head coach for WSU, said. “We’re going in there and we know how to take care of business, so our guys are going to be focused. We’re ready to play.”
One through five
A big part of the team’s success has been their entire roster’s ability to perform when needed, as all five players on the active roster have won an individual title in the fall or spring.
“Everybody on the team, one through five, has won a golf tournament and played with a lot of confidence,” Lash said.
Having a full team of players that can win a tournament is a huge advantage.
“The consistency of play is really good, and when you know you got five really good guys that can win any tournament, it’s hard to feel like you don’t have a chance wherever you go,” Lash said.
WSU’s roster is a dream for a golf coach, as one bad day for a player does not mean an automatic loss.
“I think it’s every coach’s dream is to have five guys on the golf course that you know can win a golf tournament,” Lash said.
Individual successes
Outside of team performances, Tyler Goecke and Mikkel Mathiesen have had incredible individual successes this year, with Goecke dominating league awards and Mathiesen getting professional successes.
With Goecke’s four individual tournament wins this year, he won the Horizon League’s “Golfer of the Week” award four weeks in a row.
“He’s been super consistent all year. Four-time league golfer of the week, he’s won four individual tournaments,” Lash said. “That’s just a testament to his work ethic and mentality.”
For Mathiesen’s part, he had an opportunity this year to represent his home country of Denmark in the Qatar Masters tournament of the European Tour.
“It’s really good exposure for him and good exposure for Wright State,” Lash said. “I’m really happy for him that he got the chance to go over there and experience that.”
