In their three years together at the University of Oregon, Zach Foushee and Brandon McIver have seen promising finishes to the regular season quickly turn south at the Pac-12 Championships. With an eighth place finish last year and a sixth place finish in 2013, the Oregon men’s golf teams were missing something when the stakes became high.
“I just didn’t think we were ready,” McIver said of the previous teams. “We didn’t have the team, we were young in certain areas and had some older guys that were on their way out. There just wasn’t much flow or chemistry.”
While they prepare for another Pac-12 Championships as juniors, Foushee and McIver are trying to set aside memories of Oregon’s forgettable performances in the last two years.
But each of them insists there is a different feel to this year’s team, and not just in terms of talent.
“A lot of us hang out away from the course. We’re all really good friends and we have a lot of confidence in each other,” Foushee said. “I think that goes a long way. In previous years we were obviously all friends, but not like this year.”
The Pac-12 Championships begin on Monday, and the Oregon men’s golf team has its sights set on winning the tournament – something that has never been done in the history of the program. And despite those recent performances there is plenty of optimism within the team that this year’s group is capable of going places no other Duck team has gone before.
“Aaron (Wise) and Thomas (Lim) have proven themselves, John (Woo), being the lone senior, has been consistent and Zach and I are coming around,” McIver said. “Without a doubt it’s the most complete team I’ve been on, and I think it’s a team completely capable of winning.”
Another factor that favors the Ducks: The Pac-12 Championship will be played at the Palouse Ridge Golf Club in Pullman, Washington, where the Ducks took first place at the Itani Homes Collegiate against the likes of USC, Washington and Stanford.
“We haven’t played the best our past two years, but the courses have been pretty difficult,” Foushee said. “As a team we’re definitely more comfortable where we’re going at Palouse Ridge.”
However, as comfortable as the course might be, the atmosphere in the Pac-12 Championships is significantly different than a regular season tournament.
“It definitely has a different feel,” head coach Casey Martin said. “People come to watch a little bit. The rules tend to be a little tighter. It creates a little more anxiety, feelings of pressure. But at the same time, it also elevates a lot of peoples’ play.”
The pressure to perform at a high level is no different than the past two years. But with more experienced players like Foushee and McIver leading the team, this year’s group appears primed to handle it.
“Casey has high expectations and we do too,” Foushee said. “There’s definitely pressure to play well, but we’re a lot more confident as a team. I think this year will be different.”
Follow Will Denner on Twitter @Will_Denner