2009-2010 News

Team Finishes Sixth

The Western Texas College Men’s golf team finished in sixth place at the St. Edwards University Invitational in Austin, firing a two-round 610 (311, 299)

The Westerners finished behind the University of Texas, Texas A&M, St. Edwards, Dallas Baptist and Arkansas Fort Smith.

Brian Price led the club, posting a 150 (78,72), while Matt Law fired a 151 (78, 73).

Elliot Groves carded a 153 (78, 73), Nick Flynn shot 157 (78, 79), and James Price recorded 160 (77, 83).

The men’s team will compete again March 14-16 in Granbury in the Odessa College Tournament at Harbor Lakes.

British Golfers Land in West Texas

A pair of Englishmen has landed on the campus of Western Texas College, ready to take the serious British approach to golf on the course for the Westerners this season.

Joe Favata and James Sullivan came to Western Texas College together from South London and are getting a quick education on the vastness of West Texas. While both have spent time in the States on vacation – or as they say, holiday – the unique landscape of West Texas was immediately unfamiliar.

“I’m surprised how flat everything is,” said Sullivan, who has been in Snyder a week. “The first night I decided to walk into town and get some food – I got half way there and turned around. It’s farther away than it looks.”

Favata said the distances between West Texas towns is wildly different from his home in Surrey County near the British capital.

“In between (James and I) are about seven or eight towns. Here, everything is 30 miles away and all the buildings are one-story.”

The golfing attitude in the U.S. is much different from England as well – including the number of courses – said Favata.

“Golf in the states is more casual,” he said. “It’s much more formal in England. You can’t play in jeans, and the rules are strict. There are more than 100 courses in Surrey (County), the second most in England.”

Favata spent time at a junior college in Iowa and was there six weeks before he decided to transfer. With the help of his former coach and Westerner head coach Cody Cox, Favata was able to transfer, but missed the fall deadline so he returned to the U.K.

Sullivan had decided to skip school altogether and turn pro, but was discouraged to take that route by his golf coach at home.

“He told me it wasn’t the best idea and he talked with Coach Cox, who said he would love to have me,” he said.

Coach Cox actively recruited both players, who will vie for a starting spot during the qualifier next month.

While both are just getting their feet wet – or in the case of West Texas, dusty – in the states, there are already amenities they both miss from home.

“I miss my mother’s cooking,” said Favata. “Every night we had a steak night, a fish night. My mom’s Italian and she can really cook.”

Sullivan said he misses television.

“There are no sports on TV here,” he said. When Favata pointed out that there are numerous sports channels, Sullivan replied with a laugh:

”Not soccer, cricket or rugby.”

WTC men’s golf will play in The Westerner Feb. 14-16 in San Angelo.

October 11-13 -- NJCAA National Preview, Huntsville, AL

October 3-4 -- Collegiate AM, Andrews, TX

(10-2-09) - After two fall tournaments, the Western Texas College men’s golf squad is ranked third in the nation in the latest NJCAA Division I poll.
The men have played in the Lubbock Christian University tournament in Lubbock and the High Country Shootout in Ruidoso. The men finished in third at the LCU tournament, coming in behind two NAIA powers, Oklahoma City, ranked No. 2, and Southern Nazarene. WTC finished ahead of Oklahoma Christian, the No. 1 ranked team in NAIA. In the High Country Shootout, the team finished fifth.

The golf team will play Saturday and Sunday at the Collegiate AM in Andrews.

(9-16-09) - The Western Texas College men’s golf team placed third over the weekend at the Lubbock Christian Tournament, finishing just one shot back of second place Southern Nazarene and beating last year’s NAIA national champion squad from Oklahoma Christian.

Sophomore Elliot Grover placed third in the individual standings, carding rounds of 67, 72 and 71 for a tournament total of 210. Overall the team shot 281, 284 and 291 over the three rounds.

Oklahoma City University – last year’s NAIA runner-up – topped the Westerners by 11 strokes to win the tournament.

The Westerners beat rival Odessa College by eight shots.

“It was a very tough tournament and I am just very proud of them just to be in the mix with those teams,’ said WTC head coach Cody Cox.

The men will play this weekend in the High Country Shootout in Ruidoso against the best community colleges in the region. First round action begins Saturday.

Other individual scores for WTC:
Mathew Webb – 72, 70, 74
James Price – 71, 68, 74
Nick Flynn – 71, 75, 73
Jeff Odell – 74, 75, 74