Frogs swing into early play with new recruits
Three newcomers pace the men’s golf team, but in their first two tournaments, the team hasn’t missed a beat from last spring’s success.
By Danny Gillham
Sports Editor

Head coach Bill Montigel wasn’t sure what he was getting with his new golfers.

Freshman Drew Pigg and Colby Beckstrom, as well as sophomore transfer David Schultz were joining a squad that lost three talented seniors who helped lead the Frogs to the NCAA Championships last spring.

Montigel wouldn’t know what they really had until the trio joined sophomore J.J. Killeen, junior Stephen Polanski, and senior Adam Rubinson for the first two tournaments of the season, played back to back.

He found out this week, and the results were impressive.

At the Ridges Intercollegiate in Tennessee, the Frogs finished third as a team, and were highlighted by Schultz capturing top individual honors.

Just one day later, the team was in Frisco competing in the Sooner Invitational. The team fired an impressive 54-hole score of 839 (-25), with Beckstrom and Rubinson finishing in a tie for second individually.

Montigel said he was greatly impressed with the performance of his squad.

“I didn’t know what to expect heading into these tournaments,” Montigel said. “I like this team a lot, and I feel we can accomplish some good things. We played well enough to win the first one, and we got out to a great start in this one and kept it up.”

Rubinson is the most experienced of the returning golfers. The runner-up at the NCAA Championships last spring, Rubinson was pleased with his new teammates.

“They are great,” Rubinson said. “It was very impressive the way we have all handled this. We got in late on Sunday, and to turn around and shoot like this, it shows the mental toughness of the guys.”

Beckstrom said his first collegiate tournament came with a lot of nerves, but Rubinson has helped him to stay focused.

“Just watching him carry himself tells me everything I need to know,” Beckstrom said. “His attitude when he steps out onto the golf course helps and teaches me some of the things I need to do to be successful.”

Montigel said he is poised about the tournaments ahead, but isn’t getting carried away.

“The first two tournaments were a good sign,” Montigel said, “but I tell the guys all the times to get ahead of themselves. We have to go tournament by tournament.”

d.r.gillham@tcu.edu