If winning a championship is difficult, winning multiple championships is even more difficult. Fans certainly learned this when the UFV men’s golf team finished fourth in their 2019 Canadian University/College Championship run. Simply put, it’s tough to stay the champ in the world of sports.
The Cascades men’s golf team won last year’s tournament championship by 17 strokes, so they knew what it would take to win another one. This year it was the UBC Thunderbirds who finished the tournament as champs, after tying the Western Mustangs at -11 and having to rally for a playoff victory. UBC also won the women’s team category, going +51, just beating Laval who finished at +52.
The roster was highlighted by Wyatt Brook, who finished in the top ten individually at -2. UFV also had a women’s individual competitor who put forth a valiant effort: Emery Bardock finished sixteenth for UFV in the women’s individual category of the tournament. The men’s individual crown was fought for by two teammates, Charles Fitzsimmons and Jackson Bowery, who were tied at -8 before Fitzsimmons won in a playoff. The women’s individual winner was Sarah Dunning from the Guelph Gryphons, who finished +10.
For the Cascades, though victory eluded them in 2019, the lessons learned will be valuable. Head coach Chris Bertram spoke to UFV athletics regarding the team’s performance.
“We’re disappointed we didn’t close it out today, but sometimes that’s just the way golf goes,” Bertram said. “On the bright side, we’ve got a very talented group of players returning next year who will learn from this and be better next time.”
For most sports, not making the podium is a devastating reflection of missed opportunities, but for golf, it happens more often. A rough stretch or a missed shot can set a player back a long way, especially if another golfer happens to have a fantastic round. In a game of peaks and valleys, the UFV Cascades have very little to feel bad about. Though they could not repeat as champions, next year begins all over again the quest for the crown they so badly want returned to them, as well as the individual titles the Cascades are capable of winning.
Image: UFV Athletics
