The UNM men's golf team will try to weather the unpredictable climate and the competition in Sunriver, Ore. today when it competes in the Mountain West Conference Tournament.
The Lobos will go up against a conference loaded with talented teams and a golf course that has been a nightmare for UNM.
Last year in the conference tournament, the Lobos could not overcome harsh weather conditions, finishing in fourth place after shooting a 35-over par, 899. UNM battled rain, snow and gusty winds, while Brigham Young University won the title.
UNM head coach Glen Millican said the random weather conditions this year could cause havoc to the Lobos' game plan.
"If the weather is bad, there are going to be a lot of high scores because the golf course is a difficult course to play," he said. "If the weather is tough, we have to stay patient. But it is different if the weather is good - it is a lot easier to play."
But UNM also will have to go up against some of the country's best teams. The Mountain West has three teams ranked in the nation's top-35, including the 22nd-ranked Lobos. San Diego State University is ranked 25th and the University of Nevada at Las Vegas is ranked 35th, while the defending champion Cougars are 52nd.
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"We have a very tough golf conference," Millican said. "And there are a handful of teams that can win. San Diego State is the favorite, but anything can happen."
He added that while UNM has not played spectacularly this spring, it has played steady.
"We have played solid leading up to this tournament," Millican said. "I think we have a good chance, but there are other teams that are playing well."
The Lobos opened up the fall season in impressive fashion, winning their first two tournaments - the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate on their home course and the Adams Cup. And while UNM has not won any competitions during the spring season, it does have six top-10 finishes in the last nine tournaments played.
"We had a solid spring and have had chances to win every tournament," Millican said. "We have had different guys step up in every tournament and we have created a good mix of players. Each of them gives us a good chance to win if they play the best they can."
Three of the five Lobos that will compete in the three-day tournament finished in the conference's top-10 for lowest scoring average. The hottest, and probably UNM's best chance for an individual title, is senior Scott Hailes, who was named the conference player of the month for April last week. He leads the conference with a 72.2 scoring average. The Lobos also have senior Wil Collins and junior Michael Letzig, with Letzig third in the conference with a 72.4 scoring average, while Collins is seventh with a 72.8 average.
Freshmen Jay Reynolds and Madalitso Muthiya round out the Lobos' tournament team.
Four of the top five individual scores count toward the team's score.
And while several elements must come into play for UNM to have a chance to win, Millican said it's no secret what his team must do to earn the victory.
"We need to shoot the least number, there is nothing special about that," he said. "We have to focus on our game and shoot the best we can."
