This spring, the Vandals faced weather-induced limitations, which led to limited opportunities for preparation leading up to the first spring tournament. 12 schools and 61 individuals competed in the Mesquite Desert Classic in Nevada on Feb. 16.
After a top 20 finish for Matthew McGann, Idaho jumped into the eighth spot, overtaking Ohio and Bowling Green State. Mcgann had the best overall score and best individual round of any Vandal on the day, posting a 3-under 72 in the second round.
Samuel Johnson and Josh McCartain both finished at 4-over 220, tying for 36th. After being two of the most efficient golfers in the fall for Idaho, Dalton Dean and Joe Sykes had some rust to shake off, finishing 45th and 50th with scores of 7-over and 9-over, respectively.
Utah Valley won the tournament on the shoulders of Dane Huddleston, who finished at 14-under 202, which was the best score of anyone in the tournament.
The Vandals returned to the green on Feb. 24 at the Nick Watney Invitational in California. The host team, Fresno State, finished at 23-under and tied for first place with San Diego.
Idaho finished at 23-over and placed 10th out of 13 participating schools. The team went 14-over in the second round, which was the second-worst second-round score of all the teams.
Dean bounced back in Fresno and ultimately was the only Vandal to finish below par. He finished 2-under and took 18th place out of 80 participants. Josh McCartain had a slight struggle in the second round but finished 7-over and in 44th place.
Matthew McGann finished at 9-over with Joe Sykes at 13-over. Still, they both placed in the top 50. The Vandals’ next meeting begins on March 9 at the Bandon Dunes Championship in Oregon.
Liam Bradford can be reached at arg-sports@uidaho.edu