2013-14 Men’s Golf Season Review

PROVO, Utah – The BYU men’s golf team made its second-straight appearance in the NCAA Regionals to cap off another successful season. 

“Our golf team had a great year and nobody really thought for a second we would have a top 30 team in the country,” BYU men’s golf coach Bruce Brockbank said. “The team showed great consistency throughout the year.”

The Cougars fell two strokes short of advancing to the NCAA Championships at the NCAA Auburn Regional on May 17, but finished in seventh place compared to last season’s eighth-place finish.

Outside of the NCAA Auburn Regional, BYU finished all of its tournaments in the top five, including three first-place finishes in the Pacific Invitational, Desert Shootout and the West Coast Conference Championship.

Brockbank was also named WCC's Coach of the Year following BYU's conference tournament win.

Senior Justin Keiley earned his first college-career win at the John H. Burns Intercollegiate to shoot 1-under-par and a 66 in the second round. During the spring season, Keiley finished as the top player for BYU in five of the eight tournaments. His 70.28 stroke average during his senior campaign was the best of his college career. 

Keiley tied for fifth at the West Coast Conference Championship to lead the Cougars to first place and carded a 1-over 217. Following the conference win, Keiley was named to the All-WCC Men's Golf Team along with teammates Joe Parkinson and Jordan Rodgers.

Along with Keiley, Parkinson led the way and earned his first college-career win in the Pacific Invitational tying a career-low 65 in the first and second rounds. After leading the team in all four tournaments during the fall season, Parkinson was named the WCC Men’s Golf Player of the Month for September and October.  

Parkinson’s 69.58 stroke average led all Cougars this season and finished as a top ten player in seven of the 12 tournaments he competed in. His second-best finish came in the Kikkor Husky Invitational where he tied for second at 5-under-par.

“The two individual wins by Parkinson and Keiley proved big for our team success and both of them had great success leading the team,” Brockbank said.

Senior Jordan Hammer competed in all but one tournament during his senior season with a season-best 67 in the first round of the Desert Shootout. His eighth-place finish in the Desert Shootout was his best of the season where he carded a 9-under 207. He had four top 20 finishes and was named to the WCC All-Academic Team for the third-straight year.

Rodgers participated in 11 of the 12 tournaments and finished in the top 20 in six. His best finishes came in the Pacific Invitational and WCC Championships where he finished at 6-under-par and 1-over-par, respectively. Rodgers was also named to the WCC All-Academic Team.

Junior Cole Ogden played in seven tournaments and tied for second place at the Wyoming Cowboy Classic for his best career finish. He had a season-best 67 in the second and third round to finish at 5-under-par in the same tournament. Senior Stephen Archibald competed in eight tournaments, two as an individual, and got his best finish of the year in the Husky Invitational where he placed sixth at 1-over-par.

“Consistency by all five of our players from week to week made us a very strong team and each had some high finishes during the year,” Brockbank said. “We will miss our seniors as each one played a role to the success of our team. They had great leadership, great examples of hard work, team players, and set a standard for every college golfer to follow. We will miss each one of them and look to our young players to fill their shoes next year.”

Despite losing three seniors in Keiley, Hammer and Archibald, BYU hopes to build upon a strong season and reach the NCAA Championships next year.