Earlier this week, the Wisconsin men’s golf team welcomed 13 programs to their home course at University Ridge for the first Badger Invitational since 2003.
Not only was it the first Badger Invitational in 10 years, it was the first men’s home event of any kind at the course since 2005.
University Ridge was opened in 1991, and it doubles as the home for the Badger golf team and a challenge for the local public. It sits on the former site of a glacier, creating rolling hills and valleys. The fairways mix in beautifully with the preserved prairies and marshland, and a multitude of bunkers and ponds pose a challenge for even the most experienced golfer.
At least it’s pretty when that quadruple bogey ruins your round—that’s all you can really ask for.
In preparation, groundskeepers worked to get the course in top condition.
“We consider it our most important event, being a collegiate golf course hosting a collegiate tournament,” said Ryan Wieme, the head pro at University Ridge. “We did some things to try to get the greens up to speed and we grew out the rough as well.”
The Invitational had once been an annual event, operating consecutively from 2000-’03. When asked about the long layoff between tournaments, Wieme mentioned that the course typically only hosts one NCAA event per year. For several years, the women’s team had the opportunity to host.
In addition, the previous men’s coach, Jim Schuman, preferred not to host any events.
“He’d rather have his players go elsewhere,” Wieme said. “It’s a lot of times the coach’s decision.”
The Badger Invitational returned to action last Sunday and proceeded to finish on Tuesday.
Ideal weather conditions persisted throughout all three days, with warm temperatures and sunny skies.
While the Badgers were happy to host, they struggled to make much ground among the other teams in the overall rankings. Wisconsin began with a slow start on Sunday and remained in the bottom half of the competition for the duration of the event.
UW finished the first round with a team score of 295, good for 7-over par and eleventh best between the 14 teams. Wisconsin posted scores of 307 and 298 in the final two rounds to finish with a total of 36-over. They completed the tournament in the same position as they began, eleventh place. But they finished one stroke ahead of Marquette in the battle for state supremacy.
Meanwhile, South Carolina stormed out of the gate and held a dominating lead throughout. They finished at 8-under par overall, 24 strokes ahead of second place Kansas. To say no one came close is an understatement.
Junior Caleb Sturgeon and sophomore Matthew NeSmith took the top two individual scores in the tourney. Sturgeon’s final score of 10-under was a Badger Invitational record. It was also the third lowest total in University Ridge history.
While Wisconsin never made it out of its rut, there were several positives. Redshirt senior Rob Jacobsen tied for third with a 1-under par score of 215. It was a personal best for Jacobsen, who was one of only four players to finish under par for the tournament.
“Rob Jacobsen played great,” said head coach Michael Burcin. “By far, I think it was the best tournament of his college golfing.”
While he was not pleased with the team’s overall position, Burcin noted the strong performances of his young players. Sophomore Matt Ross and freshman Tommy Schofield finished with scores of 4-over par and 7-over par, respectively. Both competed individually and did not count for team scoring.
“We’re really looking for the young guys to really get going,” Burcin said. “This is our first class of guys that we recruited as freshmen, so it was nice to kind of get their feet wet.”
The Badgers begin their next tournament this Sunday at Erin Hills Golf Course in Hartford, Wis.
“Erin Hills is a completely different golf course … kind of wide open, a lot longer,” Burcin said. “Where we are, we’re just trying to take some steps and make progress in all areas.”
While Burcin and the Badgers won’t be hosting another tournament this year, they are pleased with how their one opportunity turned out. He was impressed with the conditions of the greens, and other coaches had rave reviews for University Ridge as well.
As for the Badger Invitational returning annually, Burcin did not hesitate.
“With the golf course as good as it is, I think it’s a no-brainer.”
