Men's Golf 2008-09 Season Preview
Head
Coach Richard Warren thought that 2008 was the year that the Pacific men's
golf team would get over the hump.
After a pair of seasons where they could do no better than third in the conference's major tournaments, the Boxers won the NWC Spring Classic and put themselves in a three-way tie with Linfield and Whitworth for first in the conference's championship standings.
In the end, however, it wouldn't be the Boxers' season. A loaded Linfield squad had too many weapons and Pacific had too few strong rounds at the NWC Championship. The Boxers finished third behind both the Wildcats and Pirates.
"I think it was more the mental approach to the game and how confident they were in themselves," Warren said of what cost Pacific their title shot. "Linfield has always been giants and they still had their two biggest guns back. Having played against them a lot, we knew what they do and maybe we weren't as confident against them as we could have been."
Warren is hopeful that confidence will manifest itself with a 2008-09 squad of young players who have the game to be not only a contender at the conference level, but also at the national level. The team features experience in lone senior Brian Pan (Sr., Pullman, Wash.) and some superior swings in national tournament participant Max Bonk (So., Kamuela, Hawaii).
"We have the firepower that can go low," Warren said. "They understand now that they have to believe you can do it in order to get it. I think we have a lot of kids who believe in themselves and believe in where we are going. This year we are really going to chase after it."
THE PLAYERS
Northwest Conference players will be targeting Bonk, who established himself
as one of the top golfers in the conference and nation at the Division
III level as a freshman.
Bonk won the NWC Championship tournament (the first Pacific golfer to win a major since 1993) and was one of five individuals selected to participate at the NCAA Division III National Tournament. Bonk did not disappoint in Georgia, battling through a fierce head cold to finish 28th and earn national All-Freshman Team honors.
Warren believes that he has only seen a glimpse of how good Bonk can be and expects to see more improvement as he gets more comfortable with mainland golf. "It's a different brand of golf here than it is in Hawaii," Warren said. "Now he understands it. He knows how to dress himself for the weather and how to adapt to different situations. I know coaches were quite impressed at nationals with where Max was as a freshman. I think bigger things are coming for him."
While
Bonk will provide some essential firepower, Pan will be looked to provide
leadership and some consistent rounds. Pan was as steady as Warren could
ask for last year, shooting an 80.2 average per 18 holes for the year and
rarely shot above 82 all season.
Warren hopes that this is the year for Pan to put up his best season, especially with the pressure of being the star player being on the shoulders of his teammates. "I think this year he gets to show something," Warren said. "There is no pressure on him to be the star. That relaxes you a bit more I think we will see some great things."
Tim Andrew (Jr., Canby, Ore.) turned into a factor for the Boxers as a sophomore, turning in a season stroke average of 78.46 and just missed placing at the NWC Championships. He put together top-10 finished in eight tournaments, including an eight place finish at the NWC Spring Classic. "Tim was kind of up and down for us last year, but he is one of the best players in the conference," Warren said. "If we can get him on an even keel, he will be solid."
The Southern Oregon combo of Parrish Evans (So., Cave Junction, Ore.) and Ben Wright (So., Ashland, Ore.) saw considerable growth in their first year and will depended upon for some solid scoring this season. Wright played in all but one tournament as a freshman and tied for sixth at the NWC Spring Classic.
Warren said that Wright benefited greatly from having Bonk around as the two seemed to feed off of each other all season. "The two of them seemed to grow together," Warren said. "In some of the early practices we have had, they have battled back and forth."
Evans, meanwhile, saw some considerable work to his game as a freshman with coaches working to retool his swing. "We have really liked what we have seen and we are expecting some good things," Warren said.
Sean Hamer (Jr., Gearhart, Ore.) spent most of 2007-08 as a role player, turning in a season average of 83.46 while playing in 10 tournaments. As an upperclassmen, Hamer will be depended upon for turning in some consistent rounds to contribute to the team's success.
Pacific welcomes only two newcomers to the roster, but Warren expects both J.T. Compher (Fr., Phoenix, Ore.) and Michael Stanfield (Fr., Phoenix, Ore.) to be significant contributors to the team's success. Compher finished third at last spring's Oregon 4A state championships, leading Phoenix High School to a second place team finish. Stanfield tied for 19th in the state tournament.
Both players are capable of turning in scores that will make them contenders for all-conference honors as freshmen. "Both have great confidence in themselves," Warren said. "They have good command of their swings and their course management. They were at a school that was a high level program and has always been a high level program, so they know nothing else but winning."