“I tell them, ‘You have the opportunity to solidify yourselves as one of the best teams in Wright State history and maybe Horizon League history,’” he said.
After notching a program-record eighth tournament win (in 11 events), the Raiders have ended the debate about that first part.
They won their 13-team invitational by a whopping 17 strokes at Heatherwoode GC, shooting a combined 7-over-par for 36 holes in frigid conditions Sunday. The final round Monday was cancelled because of weather.
Senior Davis Root, the team’s No. 5 player, was the medalist with scores of 72 and 70 for an even-par 142.
His victory means all five Raiders have finished with individual titles this season. Their No. 1 player, junior Tyler Goecke, leads the way with three wins.
The Division-I program record for victories was three in 1993-94. The Raiders notched seven wins one season in the D-II era in the 1980s.
“It’s really special,” Lash said. “It might be broken in the future, but it’s something that’s in the record books.
“We have a lot of talent. It’s been good to see all the success. They’re easy to coach.”
The Raiders have a chance to be considered one of the top teams in league history if they can win the HL tourney at Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. The 54-hole event runs Sunday through Tuesday.
They’ve been HL champs six times. They ended a 15-year drought with a comeback win in 2019 but weren’t able to defend their crown because the 2020 tourney was cancelled by the pandemic.
They finished second in 2021, seven strokes behind Oakland. Third-place Cleveland State was another 29 shots back.
But the Raiders, who were unanimous preseason league favorites, have faced every HL team multiple times this season, and none has come within 12 strokes of them over three rounds.
“Golf’s golf. Things can change quickly. You’ve got to be mentally ready,” said the 28-year-old Lash.
“Obviously, it gives you confidence, and it’s something to lean on. But at the end of the day, you’re playing the course, and you play it as well as you can and add them up at the end.”
But what Lash likes about his players — aside from booming drives, precision irons and deft touch on the greens — is their camaraderie.
They’ve traveled by van to every tourney this season, making trips to Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia (three times) and Florida. They’ll get to fly for the first time when they leave for the HL tourney Thursday.
“We spend a lot of time together in vans and restaurants and hotels. You definitely get that special bond,” Lash said.
With five golfers playing at a high level, the Raiders have developed a healthy competition.
“It’s kind of like your sibling: you love them, but you always want to beat them. That drives them,” Lash said.
“When someone is at the top of the leaderboard, the others are saying, ‘I’m coming for you tomorrow.’ It’s fun to hear them take jabs at each other. It’s all out of love and respect.”
The HL winner will advance to one of six NCAA regional sites (Ohio State is one of the hosts) with 30 teams qualifying for the NCAA championships May 27-June 1 in Scottsdale, Ariz.
“The guys believe in themselves. I believe in them. And people here in the athletic department believe in them,” Lash said.
“We want to win the conference, go to the regionals, make it out of the regionals and go to the NCAA tournament. That’s where our goals are set. And I like our chances.”
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