by Stuart Price
The Blazers began their 2015 campaign this Monday and Tuesday at the Matlock Collegiate Classic, which was played at Lakeland, FL’s Lone Palm Golf Club.
VSU was represented well and finished the two-day tournament in 9th place out of 15 teams. Shooting the lowest for VSU, with a 3-round score of 217, was returning senior John Fordham.
Fordham finished the tournament tied for 18th out of 75 golfers while teammates Chris Rogers and Jake Harpe broke the top 30 with scores of 219 and 220.
Coach Purvis says that the only reason this team is any weaker than teams in the past is because of lack of experience. “We’ve got quite a few freshmen on this team, “ Purvis said. “ We don’t have as much experience but this is probably the hardest-working team we’ve had since I’ve been here at VSU.”
With only six returning players and four new guys, VSU is in a rebuilding year but that doesn’t mean that they’re not going to compete.
Purvis aims his focus at fixing the team’s mental mistakes. “They’ve got a lot of talent,” Purvis said. “We’ve had some great scores. But you have to put three great rounds together consecutively to win and that’s what we’re struggling with. “
In the fall, the Blazers traveled to South Carolina, California, Florida and Columbus but failed to break the top 10, the Blazers are looking to change that in 2015.
The team placed better at the tournament this week than they did all last semester and will return to Kiawah Island in South Carolina on Monday and Tuesday next week for the Newberry Invitational.
The next tournament that the Blazers will host is on March 8-10 when the First Federal Southeastern Collegiate Open will be played at Kinderlou Golf Club in Valdosta.