DENVER – The University of Denver men's golf team took a step forward in 2019-20, registering three top-five finishes and three individual titles in its abbreviated season. DU had shown continued improvement throughout the year and was set to defend its Summit League Championship before the season was cut short by the NCAA.
The Pioneers claimed the team title during their host tournament in the fall, the Ron Moore Intercollegiate, with a 6-under par (846) performance. DU took third in the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate after shooting a team score of 861 (3-under). The Crimson and Gold opened the season with a fifth-place finish at the Ram Masters Invitational with a score of 853 (13-over).
"We have a really special and talented team," assistant coach
Brandon Wilkins said. "We were disappointed to see this season cut short, but we know that we will be back better and stronger next year."
DU's team scoring average of 287.0 also set a new single-season program record for a team.
In the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate, the Pioneers were especially on, claiming head-to-head wins over then-No. 5 Colorado State and Colorado.
"It's extremely encouraging to see the depth we have on this team and how young we are. Cal, Carson, and Jun lead the way and showed how good they really can be," Wilkins said. "Cal led the team in scoring average and always a joy to watch. Carson was really turning it on this Spring and has the ability to win any event. Jun has worked hard and become a consistent performer."
Individually,
Cal McCoy paced the Pioneers all season as he led the team with a stroke average of 71.57, good for second lowest in the Summit League by the time the season came to an end. The sophomore posted a team-leading 13 rounds of par-or-better, an individual title, two top-five finishes, and three top-10 finishes.
McCoy took home the individual title at the Les Fowler Invitational (Oct. 21) in Boulder with a 36-hole score of 1-over par (141).
Freshman
Connor Jones showed a glimpse of a bright future with Denver, finishing with one individual win while posting a 73.0 scoring average in his debut year for the Pioneers. The Westminster native recorded his collegiate win in style, with a 7-under effort in 36 holes of play on Sept. 30.
"I am also encouraged about the future of Connor, we believe he is a star in the making, and this year was valuable to his growth as a player," added Wilkins. "We also have tremendous players in
John Sand and Jackson as they continue to improve each year, and they are starting to come into their own. Jackson won our home tournament and recently played really well in Palm Springs. John also has continued to improve and could be our top player any given week. Overall, everyone is improving, and we are excited about the possibilities of the 2020-2021 season."
Jackson Solem was one of three individual winners for the Pioneers this season, winning the Ron Moore Intercollegiate with a 9-under par (204) score on his home course.
"We will miss
Roy Kang and
Eric Hagen," Wilkins added. "They were great players and teammates. They definitely were the "Pioneers" of hopefully many great years to come for the men's golf team at DU. We know they will be successful after they graduate and are looking forward to following their careers in whatever they may choose to do.
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