Travel-wise, Texas golf’s appearance at the Cabo Collegiate at the Tournament Players Club in San Antonio was as easy as it gets for junior Pierceson Coody.
As far as performance, the three-day tournament left a lot to be desired from the Longhorns.
Texas’ second golf tournament of the spring 2021 season was only an hour and a half drive from the Forty Acres to San Antonio, but there was no home-field advantage for the Longhorns.
Texas finished seventh at the Cabo Collegiate this week after shooting a staggering 15-over par in the three-day event. The Longhorns sat in a third-place tie with Florida State after the first day but collapsed in the final two days.
After a promising first day, Coody was optimistic about both the team’s chances and his own, especially after playing the course as a kid during various American Junior Golf Association events.
He said playing so close to Austin and having family members able to travel to see him play helped him relax as he slid into a second-place tie with Florida State senior John Pak and Baylor freshman Johnny Keefer. Texas was also 10-over par as a team to place itself within the top three.
“It’s great for (your family) to come to a college event that’s not all the way across the country,” Coody said before the start of the second day. “(S)eeing familiar faces really allows you to be comfortable and play your best.”
However, due to the recent cold temperatures, Coody said it felt like a completely different course than the one he played as a kid.
“It’s played a lot different from the aspect of during the summer there wasn’t any overseed,” Coody said. “It was standard Texas bermuda (grass). (The course) played pretty firm and fast over the summer, (and it was) pretty dried out, so it’s just a different condition. It seems like a very different course, but good shots still roared out here.”
Coody had a second competitive day of the tournament during Tuesday’s round, shooting a 1-over 73 to stay in a three-way tie for second place even though the Longhorns dropped out of the top five as a team.
But Texas’ good shots didn’t continue into the third day.
Coody shot his worst round of the tournament, a 2-over 74, on Wednesday as the Longhorns failed to finish in the top five. Big 12 foes Oklahoma and Texas Tech both finished ahead of Texas by more than seven strokes.
Sophomore teammate Travis Vick superseded Coody as the top Longhorn of the meet by shooting a 1-under 71 in the final day, pushing Vick to 1-over for the tournament and into a tie for 13th. Coody finished tied for 17th at 2-over for the tournament.
However, the Longhorns won’t have to wait long to get another shot at a top finish, or travel nearly as far. Texas returns to action on its home course March 15 at the George Hannon Invitational at the UT Golf Club and Academy.
