“I know what these guys can do. I know what they shoot when they go out and just play for fun. I know what they shoot in summer tournaments. I know what the talent level is,” he said.
“We’ve worked through a lot of things. We’ve had our ups and downs. We’ve had some heart-to-heart conversations. Hopefully, it’s starting to click.”
It sure looks that way based on their performance last weekend in Northern Kentucky’s event, called The Jewell.
The Raiders bashed the 11-team field, finishing three rounds at a collective 6-under-par.
Oakland was a distant second at 16-over, which was the best showing among the five Horizon League teams that teed it up.
It was their first victory of the year in nine events after winning three times in 2022-23 and a school-record nine times in 2021-22.
The timing couldn’t have been better. They’ll try to win their fourth straight Wright State Invitational at Heatherwoode on Sunday and Monday and then travel to Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., for the league championship April 20-22.
“Now that we’ve got a win under our belt, hopefully we’ll play with a little bit of confidence and know that we can play some good golf,” Lash said.
Fifth-year player Mikkel Mathiesen set a program record in the Division-I era with his eighth individual title, one more than former teammate Tyler Goecke.
John Traugh, a Wright State Hall of Famer, had 11 from 1986-89, five in D-II and six in D-I.
Mathiesen has a 70.42 stroke average, just behind Goecke’s single-season school record of 70.36 last year.
“I know he’s going to be right around par or under every single time, no matter what the conditions are or what the tournament is,” Lash said.
Mathiesen, who was born in Denmark and grew up in Qatar, shot 68-65-72 to finish 8-under in The Jewell and win by two.
“One thing we’re working on is the putter. And if he wants to play at the next level — I’ve told him, ‘We’ve got to see some more of those 65s. We need to see something a little deeper,’” the third-year coach said.
“I’m just trying to get him a little uncomfortable and push him a little bit to shoot a really low number.”
The Raiders also had strong finishes from senior Andrew Flynn (T-4), sophomore Shane Ochs (T-11) and sophomore Adam Horn (14th).
Flynn, who finished in a tie for 19th in the 2023 league tourney, and Ochs, who has medalist in a 22-team event at St. Simons Island, Ga., last month, have locked down starting spots.
Five players typically tee it up in college events with four scores counting each round. But Lash is allowing six players per team with four counting in the Raider tourney, which will help him solidify his lineup.
Horn and freshmen Timmy Hollenbeck and Kye Fisher are fighting to get into the mix.
“Everybody, at some point, has shown me something that I really, really like,” Lash said. “I feel pretty good about all six of them.
“I haven’t even told anybody on the team what I’m going to do,” he added, referring to his five starters at the HL tourney. “I just want to see them keep working really hard till Day One of the conference, and they’ll find out then.”
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