The past two seasons for the Texas Longhorns men’s golf team have ended in disappointing fashion in the NCAA Golf Tournament. The team hopes to change that this season.
The Longhorns are set to start their season in the Folds of Honor Collegiate tournament, their first appearance in the tournament giving them an early peek at their ranked SEC competitors, No. 16 Alabama and No. 17 Arkansas. Texas will also be able to get a look at familiar foes, No. 3 Florida State and No. 9 Illinois.
During its time in the Big 12, Texas dominated its conference competitions. During the Longhorns’ last 27 appearances in the Big 12 tournament, they finished with 22 top-three finishes, including nine out-right conference championships.
Now, as Texas enters the SEC, the competition level will only grow tighter with some of the nation’s best teams awaiting it. In this year’s preseason rankings, Golfweek ranked 13 out of the 16 member schools from the SEC in the top 30, putting Texas at No. 7.
Throughout head coach John Fields’ tenure at the helm of the Texas men’s golf program, two components have become expected: consistency and plentiful talent. This year is no different, as the Longhorns lineup includes notable returners, rising sophomores and an experienced transfer.
The two-time All-American and the highest-ranked Longhorn in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking, coming in at No. 16, junior Christiaan Maas returns to Texas for his third season. Maas had a successful sophomore campaign after finishing 11th in the NCAA Tournament stroke play and winning the NCAA Austin Regional.
Just two spots below on the WAGR, Maas’ teammate and fellow junior Tommy Morrison will, with Maas, build upon his success last season. Morrison had a solid performance during his sophomore season, placing 11th in the Big 12 Championship and seventh in the NCAA Austin Regional.
Earlier this spring, Texas picked up junior Luke Potter, a talented transfer from Arizona State. Potter was the top-ranked recruit in the class of 2022. He will now look to stake his claim as a mainstay in Texas’ roster.
Skilled sophomores Jack Gilbert and Ben DeLaRosa look to become more established on the team as they become seasoned members of the program, as they saw limited action during their freshman season last year.
Maas and Morrison are expected to take the lead for the Longhorns, as the pair has the most experience out of the five that are being sent to Michigan this week. The juniors are forecasted to have a big year with their names appearing on the Fred Haskins Award Fall Watch List, an award handed to the top men’s collegiate golfer.
The Longhorns will tee off in the Folds of Honor Collegiate this Monday at the American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven, Michigan.
