(Mark Goetz & Sean Covich Zoom conference)
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Thirteen teams will make their way to the NCAA Golf Regional at The Sagamore Club in Noblesville, Ind. next week seeking a berth in the national tournament. WVU’s Mark Goetz will be one of ten individuals in the tournament field competing without their full team in attendance. He is the first Mountaineer to qualify for an NCAA regional as an individual. Six regionals are set up around the country.
Based on his performances throughout the fall and spring seasons, Goetz earned an at-large individual spot in the regional field. He is seeded fourth among the ten individuals. For Goetz to reach nationals later this month in Scottsdale, Az., he will have to finish the 54-hole regional with the best score among players not on a qualifying team. Competition begins Monday.
“It is a little bit strange not having the team with me. I really just tried to do my part this year to help us make the postseason as a team. Making it as an individual is cool. It really is a good opportunity,” Goetz said.
According to Covich, the Sagamore layout is a more open and forgiving course off the tee, which will allow Goetz to be aggressive.
“What I have seen of the course, I believe it suits Mark’s game very well,” said WVU head coach Sean Covich. “It is the same grass types and is kind of wide open off the tee. I think length is going to be a really big advantage at this course as opposed to going somewhere down south that is tighter and a little more tree-lined. This is more open.”
“Playing on bent (grass) is big for sure,” Goetz said. “That is sort of comforting and it won’t be out of the ordinary for me. As far as distance goes, I think somebody who has a lot of speed is going to play well.”
Covich and Goetz will arrive in Indiana on Friday and the official practice round for all competitors is scheduled for Sunday.
“Throughout the practice round is when I sort of develop a game plan with the way I am going to go about stretches or specific holes. After we get done with the practice round is when the plan is going to be put in place,” Goetz said.
“I probably won’t look at a leaderboard until the final day. It is going to be strange as far as where everybody is at, who is in and who is out. There’s going to be a lot of moving pieces.”
In a typical tournament, Covich will make his way around the course, checking in with all of his golfers. This week, Covich will be on standby to help Goetz with a variety of tasks.
“Whatever he needs, sometimes that is me getting him a Gatorade or me helping him read a putt,” Covich said. “Honestly, I will spend most of my time with him on Sunday making sure he is comfortable and has a game plan. That is really the most important day with getting the speed of the greens and lines off the tee. Once it starts on Monday, that is his time to go to work. That’s when he is in his office.
“Whatever Mark does this week is only going to help his world amateur golf rating, which is our goal here at West Virginia to improve that and let him compete against the best.”