After multiple NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championship appearances under Head Coach Greg Sigler, the 15th-ranked Southwestern University Pirates are right at home playing amongst the nation's elite Division III programs.
But as Southwestern heads to this weekend's Golfweek Invitational in Destin, Florida, an annual showcase featuring ranked teams across the nation, the Pirates are still looking to find a comfortable rhythm.
Having graduated three seniors from last year's team, the Pirates opened the season with sluggish play and a fourth-place finish at the John Bohmann Memorial Invitational hosted by Texas Lutheran University. The Pirates bounced back at the Rhodes College Fall Classic with a second-place finish in a deep field.
A strong showing at the prestigious Golfweek Invitational could be what the Pirates need to find their spark.
"It's a great opportunity to play some of the best teams in the nation," Sigler said. "We started slow in the season opener but really built some momentum in our last event.
"We have some guys with some big tournament experience and it'll be interesting to see how some of our new guys respond in these situations. Hopefully, we can build on our last result to carry us through the rest of the season."
Cade Osgood, the senior two-time All-American from Austin, Texas provides continuity and leadership. A well-rounded golfer, Osgood enters this season having added distance off the box to complement a strong short game.
"Cade is the perfect student-athlete role model. He takes care of his grades, practices with focus, and leads by example," Sigler said. "On-course demeanor is something I really value. I want someone whose demeanor does not change whether they're playing well or poorly."
Osgood enters the tournament the 55th-ranked player in the nation by Golfstat, averaging a 72.17 through six rounds. Just behind him is senior John Kellum, who is ranked outside the top 50 in Division III with an average score of 72.50.
In many ways, Kellum is a testament to the Pirates' player development process, which begins with finding players with the character traits needed to find their potential.
"John is a great example of someone who didn't make the top five immediately but has really developed and figured it out," Sigler said.
Along with the two seniors, first-year Christian Rodriguez from Houston's Waltrip High School, first-year Austin Kelley from Grapevine High School, and sophomore Thomas Kuznar will represent the Pirates at Golfweek.
Rodriguez has already made an impact, winning the SCAC Men's Golfer of the Week Sep. 18-24, pacing the Pirates to a second-place finish at the Rhodes College Fall Classic, scoring a 212 (70, 72, and 70) to finish tied for fourth individually in a field that featured 12 of the top 50 teams in Division III.
"I've been impressed with his work ethic and ability to perform in pressure situations," Sigler said.
"Everyone carries themselves very well," Sigler said. "They are very business-like when they get out there, trying to accomplish their goals in practice. They understand it's a good team, a deep team, so they need to be at their best."
The Golfweek Fall Invitational features 12 top 25-ranked teams, including: (1) Emory, (5) Guilford, (7) Carnegie Mellon), (8) Methodist, (10) Concordia Texas, (11) St. Thomas, (12) Oglethorpe, (13) Hampden-Sydney, (17) Berry, (T-20) North Carolina Wesleyan, and (24) Greensboro. Three other teams received top 25 votes in the latest polls.