Sept. 7, 2001
They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
University of Missouri Men's Golf Coach Tim Robyn is hoping that he can prove this common clich? false as the 2001 fall golf campaign tees off next week at the Fairway Club Invitational in Lincoln, Neb. The tournament is set for Sept. 10-11.
Lack of experience has plagued the MU line-up in the past three years under Robyn but the Tigers have grown up and their sights are set high this season after losing only one senior to graduation in 2001.
"Last year we lacked depth and as a consequence we counted a lot of high scores," Robyn said. "We go 10 or 11 guys deep now."
Robyn admits, that kind of depth is invaluable for a golf team. Five new faces have been added to the Tiger line-up this fall.
Ben Scott, a freshman from Lancashire, United Kingdom, comes to Columbia with valuable over-seas experience including practicing with the English Men's National team this past summer.
Transfer Doug Albers, a fifth-year senior from Leawood, Kan., comes to MU via Boston College University where he graduated with a business degree last May.
Junior Cory Ewert is back in the Tiger line-up after taking one year off. The Joplin, Mo, native shares the school record for the second lowest 18-hole (66) and 54-hole (207) scores.
Topping off the list of new faces are St. Louis natives Drew Ferris and Justin Bliss.
"I look at this as a season of opportunity more than anything else," Robyn said.
There is no doubt that the opportunity this season lies in the hands of the Tiger veterans. Lebanon, Mo, native Mark McBride will enter the Fairway Club Invitational fresh off his best ever summer of competitive golf.
McBride became the first amateur golfer to repeat as Missouri state amateur champion since Tom Watson accomplished the same feat in 1970 and 1971.
In addition, McBride advanced to the match play portion of the prestigious Western Amateur Championship in Benton Harbor, Mich.
"This summer was great but it was all in preparation for my final season," said McBride. "I would love to go out with a bang."
Sophomores Mike Radek and Brandon Knaub are looking to build upon their solid freshman campaigns where the two produced the lowest freshman scoring averages in recent school history.
Senior Neal Stafford, juniors Chris Happ and Shawn Fleming and sophomore Ben Douglas bring a lot of tournament experience to the table for the Tigers and will all vie for a spot in the top five this fall.
The sky is definitely the limit this season and Robyn believes the means by which the Tigers can arrive at that penultimate destination lays in his team's mental toughness.
"I think we can become the most mentally tough team in the Big 12," Robyn said. "And by the end of the year, we can be a team to be reckoned with."