Although still early in the season, the Augustana men’s golf team is looking to continue their success at the Hopkins Collegiate Classic this weekend.
The tournament will be in Decatur, Ill. at the Decatur Country Club. This will be the first time the team has played at this course.
Senior Michael Jacobs said the team is not too worried about the course because they have heard it is set up in a similar way that their home course is.
“Our practice regimen prepares us for a multitude of courses,” Jacobs said. “The course we practice at has narrow fairways and small greens that demand accuracy off the tee and on approach shots.”
Head coach Paul Del Vecchio is not too worried about his team adjusting to a new course.
“It might be a little more of a challenge, but these guys have done it before so we should be fine,” Del Vecchio said.
This past weekend, the team tied for second place out of 32 teams at the Midwest Region Classic. Senior Eric Swanson was the Vikings’ top performer, placing eighth overall with a score of 149.
Other contributors during the Midwest Region Classic were Jacobs and junior Gabe Askam who finished second and third for the team and tied for 18th with a score of 153,
The team’s score of 611 tied them with CCIW rivals Carthage College and Elmhurst College.
Del Vecchio said that Swanson showed potential in the summer and has been playing well.
However, Swanson will not be playing for the team at the Hopkins Collegiate Classic. Del Vecchio said that this will give some younger players the opportunity to play.
The team’s goal for this tournament are the same as their goals going into any other of their tournaments:  to be one of the top finishers. In order to achieve this, Jacobs said, the team follows the advice that Del Vecchio tells them to play by.
“Coach always tells us to stay in the moment and play one shot at a time,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs thinks the team will place well at the Hopkins Collegiate Classic.
“I think our guys are up for the challenge and it will be a good test for us as we continue to improve,”   Jacobs said.