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The University of Utah Athletics
Golf Head Coach Garrett Clegg Looks Back On 2019-20 Season
4/24/2020 9:31 AM | Men's Golf
As the University of Utah men's golf program wrapped up the third round of the Bandon Dunes Championship on March 10, head coach Garrett Clegg felt the team was hitting its stride and finding its confidence. A week later with three regular season tournaments to go, the remainder of the spring sport season would be canceled due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The season getting cut short was unexpected and hard on athletes all across the world, but the Utes had plenty to be proud of as they wrapped things up in March.
Q: It is tough to evaluate a team when a season is cut short, but through the tournaments the team competed in this year, what did you learn about this year's squad?
A: "I learned that we have the best overall team that we have had since I have been at the U. These players all pushed each other and competed hard in every event. They also believed in each other and expected to have success every tournament we played in."
Q: What was your favorite tournament to watch the Utes compete in this year and why?
A: "My favorite finish was at Mirabel Golf Club in the Maui Jim Invitational. We beat some of the best golf programs in the country and learned a lot about ourselves. But my favorite round to watch our team compete was the final round at Bandon Dunes. The conditions were extremely challenging and yet our players were awesome. Every player on the team at the event fought through the wind and the tough holes amazingly well and that was extremely fun to see."
Bandon Dunes Championship | Bandon, Ore. | March 8-10
Q: Who on the team would you say improved from start to finish and why?
A: "That is hard for me to single out, however I would say Mitchell Schow improved the most this year. He played great golf for the team, far better than he had played in his previous three seasons. He carried himself differently on the golf course and around his teammates. It was his goal to go out and lead the team and his leadership was exceptional. Without question his season was the most improved."
Q: You had two true freshmen competing in the line-up throughout the season, how do you feel they improved throughout the year?
A: "They are great players and will show that in the years to come. Jesper von Reedtz has been going through some short game struggles that started before he arrived at school. He had his ups and downs, however I believe he has solidified his putting and is on a great path for success in future seasons. Javier Barcos is an incredible talent and he arrived on campus at only 17 years old and he is just young in how he plays and competes. He has matured as a person and his golf game is doing the same. The biggest thing for Javi is just being comfortable in his surroundings and gaining the confidence in himself to reach his potential. He has gained a lot of self-confidence throughout the year and I believe will continue to grow in that area."
Q: The third round of the Bandon Dunes Championship was a positive. Even though you can't predict the future, how did it make you feel seeing the team compete like that heading into the bottom half of the season?
A: "I thought we were in a great position heading into the final events. That round felt like a huge confidence boost for all of our players. They were really excited to keep playing and get to the next tournament. We can never predict the future, but I felt like that set us up to finish strong in the season."
Q: With the group you have returning for next season, what are you most looking forward to?
A: "Right now I think we are all looking forward to normal life again and figuring out what that looks like. I do not know what golf will look like next fall, even if we will have it, but we will have an extremely well balanced team of experience and youth. We will be a deep team and I am looking forward to seeing who will emerge. We have great kids that are high in character and truly represent the University of Utah exceptionally well, and for that I am excited to see what we will do on the golf course when we have the opportunity to compete again. Until that time we just practice and prepare for our next opportunities to compete."
The season getting cut short was unexpected and hard on athletes all across the world, but the Utes had plenty to be proud of as they wrapped things up in March.
Q: It is tough to evaluate a team when a season is cut short, but through the tournaments the team competed in this year, what did you learn about this year's squad?
A: "I learned that we have the best overall team that we have had since I have been at the U. These players all pushed each other and competed hard in every event. They also believed in each other and expected to have success every tournament we played in."
Q: What was your favorite tournament to watch the Utes compete in this year and why?
A: "My favorite finish was at Mirabel Golf Club in the Maui Jim Invitational. We beat some of the best golf programs in the country and learned a lot about ourselves. But my favorite round to watch our team compete was the final round at Bandon Dunes. The conditions were extremely challenging and yet our players were awesome. Every player on the team at the event fought through the wind and the tough holes amazingly well and that was extremely fun to see."
Bandon Dunes Championship | Bandon, Ore. | March 8-10
Q: Who on the team would you say improved from start to finish and why?
A: "That is hard for me to single out, however I would say Mitchell Schow improved the most this year. He played great golf for the team, far better than he had played in his previous three seasons. He carried himself differently on the golf course and around his teammates. It was his goal to go out and lead the team and his leadership was exceptional. Without question his season was the most improved."
Q: You had two true freshmen competing in the line-up throughout the season, how do you feel they improved throughout the year?
A: "They are great players and will show that in the years to come. Jesper von Reedtz has been going through some short game struggles that started before he arrived at school. He had his ups and downs, however I believe he has solidified his putting and is on a great path for success in future seasons. Javier Barcos is an incredible talent and he arrived on campus at only 17 years old and he is just young in how he plays and competes. He has matured as a person and his golf game is doing the same. The biggest thing for Javi is just being comfortable in his surroundings and gaining the confidence in himself to reach his potential. He has gained a lot of self-confidence throughout the year and I believe will continue to grow in that area."
Q: The third round of the Bandon Dunes Championship was a positive. Even though you can't predict the future, how did it make you feel seeing the team compete like that heading into the bottom half of the season?
A: "I thought we were in a great position heading into the final events. That round felt like a huge confidence boost for all of our players. They were really excited to keep playing and get to the next tournament. We can never predict the future, but I felt like that set us up to finish strong in the season."
Q: With the group you have returning for next season, what are you most looking forward to?
A: "Right now I think we are all looking forward to normal life again and figuring out what that looks like. I do not know what golf will look like next fall, even if we will have it, but we will have an extremely well balanced team of experience and youth. We will be a deep team and I am looking forward to seeing who will emerge. We have great kids that are high in character and truly represent the University of Utah exceptionally well, and for that I am excited to see what we will do on the golf course when we have the opportunity to compete again. Until that time we just practice and prepare for our next opportunities to compete."
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