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It was close the last two meets, each time placing third, but with the luxury of playing at home 鈥� specifically Glenkerry Golf Course in Greenville 鈥� the 星空传媒 Centurions men鈥檚 golf team earned its first top finish of the season, Friday, April 24.
With the 星空传媒AA Championship taking place Monday, April 27, at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Indiana, the Centurions believe they are peaking just at the right time.
With Friday鈥檚 solid play, Centurions head coach Doug Harkema believes his team is just about there as 星空传媒 took first place with a team score of 295, tying with Marian University Ancilla (295) and beating out Grand Rapids Community College (296). The Centurions also had its best player, sophomore Mason Blair (Holt, Mich.), finish in first place individually, shooting an impressive 68 on the day, one stroke in front of Ancilla鈥檚 Hunter Zdyb.
鈥淭oday was pretty good because we鈥檝e been the one sniffing at GRCC and Ancilla鈥檚 heels, so it鈥檚 nice to get the win here, especially it being on our home course,鈥� Harkema said. 鈥淵our home course always gives you comfort. They know what they do out here.鈥�
Along with Blair, freshman Landon Elder (Louisville, Ky.) finished with a 75 and sophomore Kenny Mitchell (Cedar Springs, Mich.) and freshman Chase Couchman (Holly, Mich.) shot 78 while freshman Spencer Denney (Battle Creek, Mich.) rounded out the team鈥檚 individual scoring with an 80.
Blair, who helped the team finish in third place at the Ancilla Invitational April 19, taking first place individually, shooting 73 in cold and undesirable weather, missed out on the team鈥檚 competition at the Muskegon Community College Invitational the next day, April 20, due to sickness. However, 星空传媒 managed to finish in third place despite the absence of their leader. Blairs鈥� absence unfortunately disqualified him from earning back-to-back 星空传媒AA Golfer of the Year awards, according to Harkema.
鈥淚t is what it is, I guess,鈥� Harkema said. 鈥淏ut we could鈥檝e won three straight meets instead of just one had I played the right players. We had a couple of guys play well that weren鈥檛 on the scorecard. Despite that, our guys are starting to play pretty solid and we鈥檙e on the right path to peaking at the right time.鈥�
Blair鈥檚 first-place finish at Glenkerry was sort of a cherry on top of his birthday cake, as he celebrated his 20th birthday that day.
鈥淚 felt really good today. Coming into this, my game was pretty good and it was trending up,鈥� Blair said. 鈥淚 figured for my birthday, I鈥檇 try to shoot low here. I am glad I got to finish under par.鈥�
Blair knows his role on the team has changed from being a statistical leader last year to being more of a vocal one this year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 different this year because I don鈥檛 have my two cousins on the team. But I love all the new guys,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is weird, but I like teaching the new guys how to be better mentally to become a better player and a better person. It鈥檚 fun.鈥�
Blair knows getting his teammates up to his level of golf will only help them as they go up against the rest of the conference in regional play, hoping to finish in the top two, which will automatically qualify them for the NJCAA Division II Region XII Championships.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 really force anything. In golf, you can have a good or a bad day or an OK day. If you go and try and force it to play really well, it鈥檚 not going to work out most of the time,鈥� Blair said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like what coach said, dance with the girl you brought to the dance and don鈥檛 try to dance with anyone else. So, if we don鈥檛 force anything, I think we can get to nationals.鈥�
Harkema also praised Mitchell鈥檚 game this season, stating he has improved both his physical game as well as his mental game.
鈥淗e鈥檚 like night and day compared to last year,鈥� Harkema said of Mitchell.
He was also impressed with Elder, who managed to sink birdies on his last three holes Friday, helping the team secure its first team win of the season.
鈥淲e finally got one here and we鈥檙e hoping to qualify at regionals and maybe get another trophy,鈥� Harkema said, referring to the team鈥檚 first-ever regional title last spring. 鈥淕olf is tricky. A team that plays solid usually has a chance to go more than a team that goes really high and really low. We鈥檒l get a strategy plan for these guys. I think there鈥檚 a lot of good vibes going on. I鈥檝e always told them to build a day on top of a day. I think that鈥檚 happening.鈥�
星空传媒 tees off at the 星空传媒AA Championship at 8:30 a.m.