Mesa golf seeks national championship
Matt Wilhalme
While the women’s golf team has already taken the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference championship and the Region I title, the men’s team still has to compete at regionals to earn themselves a trip to Alabama.Since the Thunderbird men officially finished second in their conference, coach John Guerrero said he fully expects his team to qualify for nationals and win regionals at the championship April 30-May 3.
Guerrero is excited about both team’s performances this season but he is even more excited for next year.
“For me, the exciting thing is the future outlook of the team. I know what it is like to have a young team and know the maturity and progress that takes place over the course of a year. That’s just how golf is,” Guerrero said.
This season the Lady Thunderbird golfers established themselves as “the team to beat” as they competed in events all over the valley and in New Mexico.
The women achieved first place finishes and a hole-in-one as they stayed consistent and won their conference and region.
The men’s team opened their season with an eighth place finish at the Western New Mexico Cactus Thaw but picked up speed as the season progressed earning themselves a number of first place finishes as well.
“We set ourselves goals and do everything we can to reach those goals,” Guerrero said.
“We have a tradition at Mesa of being one of the top teams competing,” he added, “We just keep trying to strengthen our strengths and eliminate our weaknesses as best we can.”
The team is currently working on the conditioning required for the national championship, which will be a 72-hole event.
“The biggest factor at the national competition will be the team’s short game,” Guerrero said.
“A team’s short game is the difference between third and tenth place, it requires mental planning and preparation,” Guerrero said.
