Marshfield golf hopes to save its best for last
By Paul Lecker
Sports Reporter
MARSHFIELD — Marshfield boys golf coach Paul Foegen said the Tigers have yet to play their best, but with only three Wisconsin Valley Conference meets left, time is running short for them to make a move in the standings.
Marshfield sits fourth in the seven-team conference after the fourth of seven WVC meets was played Tuesday at Greenwood Hills Country Club in Wausau.
For the second meet in a row, Marshfield finished in fourth. The final three meets will take place over eight days, starting Friday at Wausau Country Club.
The Tigers had their best score in the tournament series on Tuesday with a 337 but ended up two shots behind third-place Wausau West. On May 6 Marshfield had a 358 at Stevens Point Country Club, one shot behind Wausau East for third.
While close in the last two meets, the Tigers have only been able to crack the top three once: at Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids on May 3 when they tied Wausau East for second.
As it stands the Tigers will need high finishes in the final three meets — combined with Wausau West and East faltering at some point — in order to move up.
“We’re starting to get there and play better, but we haven’t reached our peak yet. That’s for sure,” Foegen said. “We have to have a better mental approach. The last two weeks we didn’t. We would get down on ourselves after a bad hole or two. Tuesday was the best meet for us as far as thinking around the golf course and our mental approach goes.”
To cut some strokes, it comes down to eliminating the double and triple bogeys that have kept the Tigers from placing in the top two or three.
“It comes down to cleaning up a few big holes here or there, staying away from that big mistake,” Foegen said.
One positive coming up is that Marshfield hosts the sixth leg of the conference tournament on Tuesday at its home course of RiverEdge. Earlier this season the Tigers shot a 342 there to finish second in a four-team meet to Stevens Point, the WVC leaders, and Derek Michalski was meet medalist with a 2-over-par 74.
Michalski has proven tough at RiverEdge, winning medalist honors last year during the WVC tournament and in the WIAA Division 1 regionals.
Michalski sits in sixth in the individual WVC standings but could make a big move in the final three meets.
“He’s played well on our home course,” Foegen said. “RiverEdge is a tight course and tougher than people think. The kids like playing at the three courses we have left (Wausau Country Club, RiverEdge, Merrill Public Golf Course), and we are still shooting for second place. It looks tough now, but we can finish second in two of the three, or even all three, and can move up and get us ready for regionals.”
Brendan Schneider had his best round of the season on Tuesday for the Tigers, tying for 10th with an 83. Grant Michaelis, Zach Hanson, and Joe Kirschnik have all scored points for Marshfield in WVC meets, shooting in the high 80s to low 90s range.
Paul Lecker is publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com, a contributor to Hub City Times Sports. You can reach him by email at [email protected].
Remaining Marshfield Boys Golf Schedule
—May 13 WVC Meet No. 5 at Wausau Country Club.
—May 14 at Merrill Invitational (Merrill Golf Course).
—May 17 WVC Meet No. 6 at RiverEdge Golf Course.
—May 20 WVC Meet No. 7 at Merrill (Merrill Golf Course).
—May 24 WIAA Division 1 regional at Stevens Point Country Club.
—May 31 WIAA Division 1 sectional at Eau Claire (Wild Ridge Golf Club).
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