AU men's golf prepares for nationals with focus on mental game
By Rodrigo Burgos-Avila | Editor in chief
The Augusta University men’s golf team is headed to the NCAA Division I Championship, and the Jaguars are taking more than just skill to the national stage. They’re also bringing mental toughness to the challenge.
During a celebratory event at Forest Hills Golf Club on Monday, May 19, AU Coach Steven Paine reflected on the team’s growth this season, citing mental resilience as the key factor in their postseason success.
“Early on, we were asking a lot of the guys from a mental standpoint,” Paine said. “It wasn’t quite clicking, but in the last two or three months, they’ve really bought in. Everybody’s on the same page.”
Paine noted that the team’s strongest performances have come during the biggest moments, a promising sign as they head to California for nationals.
Redshirt junior Bo Blanchard II echoed his coach’s sentiments, highlighting the team’s focus on mental training.
“We do a lot of training, like mental training, to be ready for those pressure situations,” said Blanchard, who is from Columbus (Ga.). “We’ve really worked on our routines and our process this past month. That gives you comfort in stressful moments, knowing you have something to fall back on.”
As Augusta prepares to compete against the nation’s best, it is clear that their mental preparation may be just as crucial as their physical game. With focus and momentum on their side, the Jaguars are set to make a strong run on the national stage.
The nationals will be played at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. Action starts on May 23 and continues through May 28.
There are 30 teams and six wildcard individuals in the national tournament. They will play 54 holes of stroke play. After that, the top 15 teams and top nine individuals not on advancing teams will play an extra 18-hole round. That will determine the top-eight teams that go on to match-play competition.
Also, after 72 holes, the individual champion will be crowned.
Those top eight teams after 72 holes of play will be placed into a bracket.
AU won the team titles in 2010 and 2011, and Broc Everett won the individual title in 2018.
Auburn is the defending champion. The Tigers edged Florida State 3-2 in last year’s final.
Contact Rodrigo Burgos-Avila at rburgosavila@augusta.edu.
The AU men’s golf team poses just behind the first tee at Forest Hills Golf Club during the university-sponsored sendoff for the team. From left to right are as follows: Dean Wilken, Stefan Jacobs, Coach Steven Paine, Assistant Coach Ruan Pretorius, Bo Blanchard II, Behn Heyns, Pieter Rossouw Jr. and Chapman Barnett. At the top of the page, Paine, whose team advanced with a fifth-place finish in the Tallahassee Regional, addresses the sports media. (photos by Rodrigo Burgos-Avila/the Bell Ringer)
