 "Photo: Monique McKinley | Chronicle Photo")
The Coyote men’s golf team finished fifth in the 54-hole Coyote Classic Collegiate Golf tournament hosted by CSUSB.
Senior Gene Webster Jr. won the individual tournament with an impressive 196, 14 strokes under par.
“I haven't won a collegiate golf tournament since the 2007 NCAA West-Regional my freshman year. So, it is nice to get back into the winners circle,” Webster said.
The two-day tournament, held at the Arrowhead Country Club, featured some of the best schools from across the country. CSUSB started the tournament in 12th place, but came back the second day to move up to fifth.
Webster has been a stand out golfer for the Coyotes since his freshman season. He was the team’s leading player his sophomore season, averaging 73.5 strokes per round and helping the Coyotes finish in second in the CCAA.
During the Coyote Classic, Webster said he struggled driving the ball at first, but his game quickly picked up before the finish.
“My putter was the club that excelled throughout the tournament. I felt very comfortable with the speed of the greens and was able to make the majority of my short putts as well as make some longer ones. Holes 17 and 18 during round one got me moving in a positive direction when I birdied both of them,” Webster said. “I felt like those back-to-back birdies gave me some momentum heading into round two.”
Webster’s attitude about the game says a lot about how successful he is able to be in each tournament. He remains focused no matter how well he and the team are playing.
“One of the major aspects of playing golf that I hold close to me is the ability to stay in the present moment and to possess a one-shot mindset,” he said. “I try not to dwell or celebrate on a prior hole that I have already completed; I try to maintain my composure throughout the day to give myself the optimum opportunity to execute each shot to the best of my ability.”
Senior Joe Alldis kept on track and tied for a finish in 18th place with a 214 (77, 67, 70), just 4 strokes above par.
One stroke behind Alldis was senior Thomas Chu, who finished with a 215, tying for 21st place.
Chu averaged 76.1 strokes per round last year and also excelled this season. He led the team to a third place finish in their last tournament, Cal State San Marcos Invitational in February, where he finished fifth overall.
The Coyotes may have placed fifth out of the 17 teams playing in the Coyote Classic, but Webster beat out 88 golfers to steal the tournament.
The next match for CSUSB will be the SoCal Intercollegiate, hosted by UCSD, on March 22 and 23.
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