Kansas University’s men’s golf team is headed to nationals …
Again.
“We have a nice record,” KU coach Ross Randall said of the Jayhawks, NCAA-bound for the fifth time in the last eight years. “We are nationally competitive. We are one of the top ‘cold-weather programs’ in the country.”
The No. 21-ranked Jayhawks, who qualified by placing eighth of 21 teams at regionals (top nine advanced), are one of six cold-weather programs to advance to the 2000 NCAAs, next Wednesday through Saturday in Opelika, Ala.
Brigham Young, Northwestern and Kent are the only cold-weather schools ranked higher than Kansas in the 30-team field.
Washington and Minnesota are the other cold-weather entries.
“I’m proud of our guys and what they’ve accomplished,” Randall said. “We work really hard. We are one of the few sports that competes officially both semesters. Everybody gets good grades. Everybody finishes (school). Everybody cares.”
Cynics figured this would be a rebuilding year for the Jayhawks, who lost No. 1 player Chris Thompson off last year’s Big 12 championship team.
KU also was without projected No. 2 player, Brad Davis, unable to return from foot and back injuries sustained in his fall off an apartment balcony during the 1998-99 school year.
“Some said, ‘With Chris gone, you won’t be any good,”‘ Randall said. “We’ve had some guys step in. Ryan Vermeer has had the best year of any player we’ve had.”
Vermeer, a senior from Omaha, Neb., has a 71.31 stroke average — best in KU history. He’s won four tournaments, helping the Jayhawks to a top 10 finish in 12 of 13 events and runnerup spot at the league championships.
Vermeer — he placed in the top 10 in 10 tournaments — has a low round of 63 at the Western Intercollegiate in San Jose, Calif.
“We’ll miss Ryan as much as we did Chris. Ryan is so steady. He’s always going to contribute,” Randall said.
Sophomore Casey Harbour — he had a hole-in-one at regional — placed fourth at the Big 12 meet. His 73.89 stroke average trails teammates Vermeer, Andy Stewart (73.59) and Conrad Roberts (73.72). Jake Istnick has a 74.28 average for the Jayhawks, who have a combined 74.28 stroke average, best mark in school history.
“If a player averages 73 or better with the kind of schedule we play, he’s going to be successful,” Randall said.
Is this KU’s best team?
“We’ve had some good ones. This team has one more chance to be the best team ever,” Randall said. “One of our stated goals was to have our best finish ever at NCAAs (11th in 1950). It won’t be easy. We must play steady. We can’t shoot any mediocre rounds.”
