Golf Preseason Preview
9/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Sept. 7, 2011
| Roster | Schedule HOUSTON - A year ago, the University of Houston boasted one of the nation's youngest teams with four true freshmen and a sophomore competing in his first semester with the program.
Fast forward to the 2011-12 season, and it's easy to see why head coach Jonathan Dismuke is so optimistic about the program's future, this season and beyond.
"Our situation last year will make us better this year. Our young guys received so much playing experience," said Dismuke, who is entering his third season with the program. "I look for them to return and know what to expect and how to go about their business and get better."
Those young players - combined with an impressive signing class - give Dismuke and the Cougars much-needed depth, a luxury the program rarely enjoyed during his first two seasons.
"We will be fresh and ready for every event. Coming down the stretch last year was a struggle for us, playing a lot of young guys," Dismuke said. "With more depth, we can plug anyone into the lineup at any time."
That kind of depth throughout the lineup does more than aid the Cougars during tournament competition. It challenges and pushes every member of the team from the beginning of the season to the end.
"It also allows a more competitive atmosphere, and it enhances your player development. The players must get better every day if they want to play. Everybody wants to play; everybody wants to get out and compete in travel," Dismuke said. "To do that, you have to be one of our best players. If you have a team filled with guys that are competitive, your chances of sustaining a high level of player over the course of a season improves dramatically."
THE RETURNEES
Six lettermen return from the 2010-11 squad that finished in a tie for fourth at the Conference USA Championships, the program's best finish at the league's annual postseason event since 2003.
Junior Will Dusenbury is the oldest member of that group. Transferring from Dallas Baptist at the semester break, Dusenbury competed in all but one spring tournament.
He finished second on the team with a 73.86 scoring average and tied for the team's low round of the year with a second-round 68 at the Desert Shootout. For his impressive efforts throughout the spring, Dusenbury was honored as the Conference USA Newcomer of the Year.
Sophomore Curtis Reed was one of the team's most decorated players a year ago and should contend for the top spot in the Cougars' lineup each week. Reed led the Cougars with a 73.76 scoring average, 12 rounds of par or better and twice fired season-low 68s at the Seminole Intercollegiate and Louisiana Classics.
However, Reed saved one of his best performances for last. With a 2-under-par 214 at the Conference USA Championships, the Castroville, Texas, native tied for fifth and earned a place on the All-Tournament Team.
 | "These players have a lot of goals they want to accomplish while they are here. They have taken the mindset that it's their job to put Houston Golf on the map again. It's going to be fun to watch." Coach Jonathan Dismuke |
The Sealy, Texas, native looks to use a successful summer campaign as a springboard for greater accomplishments this season. Droemer advanced to the field of 32 at the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in Oregon in late June.
An all-around student-athlete, Droemer earned a place on the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll at the end of the season.
Competing in his first collegiate season a year ago, sophomore Bryn Flanagan was another steady performer. He was one of three Cougars to compete in all 11 tournaments in 2010-11.
During that time, Flanagan posted a 74.33 average with nine sub-par rounds and tied for 15th at the Seminole Intercollegiate. The Krugersdorp, South Africa, native also excelled in the classroom, earning a place on the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll.
Sophomore Wesley McClain joined Reed and Flanagan as the only players to compete in all 11 tournaments a year ago. The Diboll, Texas, native finished third on the team 11 rounds of par or better and fired back-to-back 69s during the final two rounds of the Desert Shootout.
Junior Jordan Rumora competed in only three tournaments during the 2010-11 season but made the most of his opportunities. The Houston native and Cy-Fair High product finished third on the team with a 74.11 scoring average and tied for 11th at the spring-opening Rice Intercollegiate.
Eric Adler returns for his senior season as the elder statesman of the group. A year ago, the Sugar Land, Texas, native competed in one tournament at the Jim West Intercollegiate.
Joseph Reynolds begins his junior season after playing at the Jim West Intercollegiate in 2011.
THE NEWCOMERS
With such a young team, Dismuke and the Cougars will welcome only three newcomers to the team this season. However, the members of that signing class possess award-winning resumes and will quickly challenge for playing time.
Kyle Pilgrim joins the Cougars after an award-winning career at Colleyville Heritage. As a senior, he was a Class 5A All-State Second-Team honoree despite having only committed to golf full-time during his junior season.
Pilgrim also has proven himself as an all-around student-athlete, earning a place on the Texas Academic All-State Team. As a student at Houston, he will enroll in the Honors College.
Roman Robledo is a physically gifted young player who quickly impressed coaches with his potential. As a student at Harlingen South High, was a Class 5A All-State First Team selection as a senior and captured four consecutive District 31-5A indivdiual titles.
A transfer from Michigan State, James Ross will be in his first season with the Cougars in 2011-12 but will take on a key role with the team. An experienced, older player, the Edinburgh, Scotland, native will be looked to for leadership by his coaches and younger teammates, on and off the court.
Ross competed at Michigan State from 2009 to 2011 and put up impressive numbers during that time. He recorded four top-10 finishes, including medalist honors at the Fossum Invitational to open the 2010-11 fall season.
THE SCHEDULE
The Cougars will play 11 regular-season tournaments, highlighted by the return of The Woodlands All-American Intercollegiate.
Played all but one season from 1955 to 1997, the All-American Intercollegiate was a mainstay on the Cougar schedule and developed into one of the nation's premier collegiate tournaments. The event returned in 2006 and was last played in 2009.
The event will cap the Cougars' regular-season schedule and be played at The Woodlands Country Club on the 7,018-yard, par-72 Tournament Course on April 9-10.
Houston welcomes a nationally competitive 16-team field to the event, including Arkansas, Baylor, Clemson, Lamar, Louisiana-Lafayette, Minnesota, North Texas, Notre Dame, Rice, SMU, Southeastern Louisiana, Texas A&M, Texas State, Tulsa, and UT Arlington.
"I initially wanted to delay hosting this for a few years, but everywhere I would speak fans would ask about reviving the All-American Intercollegiate," Dismuke said. "This was something that Cougar Golf fans wanted, and it's something I am excited to bring back."
Dismuke and assistant coach Chris Hill wasted little time in assembling a high-caliber field during the tournament's return. Eleven of the teams in the field (Arkansas, Baylor, Clemson, Lamar, North Texas, Notre Dame, SMU, Southeastern Louisiana, Texas A&M, Tulsa and UT Arlington) competed in the 2011 NCAA Regionals with Minnesota and Rice sending individual participants to the NCAA postseason.
An Overview
The regular-season slate features 11 tournaments in six states. Dismuke and his team will earn their frequent flyer miles in 2011-12 with the Cougars playing as far north as Minnesota, as far east as Georgia and as far west as California.
In addition to the travel, the Cougars also are scheduled to compete against some of the nation's top collegiate teams.
"I like the diversity of the schedule. We will see many different teams during the course of the year, and our strength of schedule has increased significantly from last year," Dismuke said. "We have enough depth and talent to compete at the national level, and I wanted to put us on a stage to do that."
The Fall Schedule
The Cougars open the fall season at the Gopher Invitational on Sept. 11-12 in Wayzata, Minn. From there, the team will compete at the Fighting Irish Gridiron Classic on Sept. 26-27 at the Warren Course in South Bend, Ind.
This will be the third straight season that the Cougars have played in Notre Dame's tournament. A year ago, the Cougars tied for fourth.
Houston wraps up its fall season with a pair of tournaments in the state of Texas. The Cougars will compete in an all-Texas field at the Lone Star Invitational at Briggs Ranch Golf Club in San Antonio on Oct. 16-18.
From there, the team heads to Dallas to play at the Royal Oaks Intercollegiate, hosted by Baylor at Royal Oaks Country Club.
The Spring Schedule
After a three-month break from tournament competition, the Cougars make a return trip to San Antonio on Feb. 13-14 when they take part at the UTSA Oak Hills Invitational at Oak Hills Country Club. One week later, the Cougars join the field at the Rice Intercollegiate, at Westwood Golf Club on Feb. 20-21.
The Cougars take a trip east on Interstate 10 to open the month on March 5-6 to tee off at the Louisiana Classics at Oakbourne Country Club. Houston will host its first tournament of the season on March 16-17 when it welcomes a 16-team field to Laredo Country in Laredo, Texas.
That field includes Baylor, Central Arkansas, Eastern Michigan, Iowa State, Kansas, Lamar, Louisiana Tech, Louisiana-Lafayette, Mississippi State, Rice, Southern Miss, Stephen F. Austin, Texas State, UTSA and VCU.
From there, the Cougars will compete at the Insperity Augusta State Invitational at Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., hosted by the two-time defending NCAA national champion Jaguars.
The Postseason
Following The Woodlands/All-American Intercollegiate, the Cougars will begin their postseason April 22-24 at Texarkana Country Club in Texarkana, Ark. This will be the second straight season that Houston will play in the league's postseason event at that location.
The winner of the C-USA Championships advances to the NCAA Regional, slated for May 17-19 at a site to be determined. The NCAA Championships is slated to tee off May 29-June 3 at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Players Mentioned
