An audible “ping” rings throughout the LSU men’s golf practice facility as LSU prepares for the Carpet Capital Collegiate Tournament, beginning on Friday and concluding Sunday.
This tournament is the start of the regular season for the seventh-ranked men’s golf team, which finished fifth last season.
The team returns four starters, and LSU coach Chuck Winstead said there are quality golfers competing for the fifth spot in the rotation.
“There are a lot of seasoned guys who are going to give us a good look in that fifth spot,” he said.
After finishing fifth last season and first in 2014, the Tigers are not looking to change how they approach practice.
“We’ve taken the same approach as far as practice goes,” said sophomore golfer Luis Gagne. “We’re continuing to work hard to get back to the NCAA Championships.”
There are many advantages to playing for the NCAA title, but perhaps the most important is experience, Burns said.
“We really came together as a team last season,” he said. “We know what to expect in terms of competition this year, and we’re excited to make another run at the title in 2016.”
The NCAA tournament is teeming with competition, and LSU’s upcoming tournament has no shortage of tough opponents. The Carpet Collegiate will feature teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference, American Athletic Conference, Atlantic Sun Conference, Southern Conference, Southern States Athletic Conference and Southeastern Conference.
“There are a lot of good teams competing in this tournament,” Gagne said. “We just need to stick to our gameplan, and we will be fine.”
The gameplan for the season is a simple, yet oft-overlooked one, Burns said: Play as a Tiger, not as an individual.
“You’re not playing for yourself, you’re playing for your team,” Burns said. “If we remember that, I think we’ll have a good season.”