Matt Weir / Collegian File Photo
Leading the ‘Dogs for a 30th season, men’s golf head coach Mike Watney is confident he has the individuals to bring home a Western Athletic Conference (WAC) championship in what is expected to be Fresno State’s last season with the conference.
But what Watney, the 2010 WAC Coach of the Year, has realized in recent years is individual success doesn’t always translate to the team side of things and is now an emphasis for the 2010-11 Bulldogs.
Despite returning last year’s first-team All-WAC standout and 2010-11 All-American candidate junior Bhavik Patel, the ‘Dogs finished sixth in the WAC Championships held in May. With former WAC Player of the Year Grant Doverspike now graduated, Watney must rely on his deep but relatively inexperienced roster to pick up the slack.
“One thing we’ve done well over the years is have great depth,” Watney said. “Grant was a very, very good player, and I’m not exactly sure we can immediately replace him. However I like the depth we have. Bhavik was actually better than Grant.”
Fresno State will need all the production it can get in its first tournament in two weeks as Watney’s team will cross the Pacific Ocean to compete for the Topy Cup at Tanagura Country Club in Japan beginning on Sept. 9.
The Topy Cup will feature two Pac-10 Conference schools in Arizona and Arizona State, as well as Big 12 foe Texas A&M, which won the 2009 NCAA Golf Championship.
Tanagura’s narrow fairways and treacherous layout has Watney excited for the three-round tournament, but slightly concerned as well, especially for his newcomers.
“If we get playing well, we could contend in any tournament,” Watney said. “It might take a little while for guys like [Nate] Jessup, who is going to Japan and I anticipate him to be extremely nervous because of the prestigious tournament and tight layout of the course.”
Freshman Keenan Nelson will accompany Jessup as two fresh faces into the program. Both have impressed Watney and opened the eyes of teammates during offseason preparations for this season’s 13-tournament schedule.
The importance of depth as the season wears on will be a focus for Fresno State’s current 10-man roster. If Watney can get players outside of Patel to perform at a high level, such as Michael Gideon and Brian Sunker, he is convinced his team will be much improved this season.
“Gideon is one of two guys on the team who have actually won tournament, and it’s very, very hard to win a golf tournament at the collegiate level,
“When you know your fifth or sixth man just might throw in a 68, then you are very comfortable and that’s what were looking for,” Watney said.
Following the Topy Cup, the Bulldogs will travel north for the University of Washington Husky Invitational in Seattle on Sept. 20. Then Watney’s squad will compete in the Nevada Wolfpack Classic at Edgewood Golf Course, rated one of “America’s Top Golf Courses” by Golf Digest.
“I’m excited for The University of Washington Invitational in Seattle and Nevada Wolf Pack Classic at Edgewood, which is one of the most beautiful courses in the world,” Watney said. “I don’t even worry about who is playing there because it’s such a nice course and it’s amazing to just compete there.”
But come May, Watney and the Bulldogs will have their eyes set on something they haven’t accomplished in seven years.
“We are looking to win one or two more WAC championships in our final few years in this conference,” Watney said.