Connor O’Dell of Maple Ridge was the top finisher for the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades men’s golf squad, helping lead the team to third place overall in the first of four PacWest tournaments at Kelowna’s Okanagan Golf Club last weekend.
O’Dell carded rounds of 74 and 72 to finish in seventh place at 146.
Teammate Connor McLellan was tied for 11th, firing a two-day 150, while Cody Stewart was 12th with a 151, Zach Olson was tied for 13th with a 152 and Kaleb Fisher tied for 19th with a 154 to round out the tournament.
The Cascades men’s golf squad, PacWest champions each of the past three years, heads to Surrey’s Northview Golf and Country Club Saturday, Oct. 19 and again on Sunday for the second PacWest conference tourney, hosted by the Kwantlen Eagles.
“It was a bit of a slow start for our team – not exactly what we wanted, but we didn’t shoot ourselves out of it,” said O’Dell. “We still have three tournaments to go, and we’re in the mix in third place.”
Cascades head coach Chris Bertram said there were definitely some positives and some things to build on.
“We’ve got a bit of ground to make up, and there’s a lot of golf left to play,” said Bertram. “I know we have the talent to make it up – it’s just a matter of executing.”
O’Dell was all-Canadian in 2014 and is No. 1 on the team’s depth chart.
O’Dell and his Cascades’ teammates will host the final PacWest tourney on Oct. 3 and 4 as well as the Ping CCAA Golf National Championships on Oct. 13 to 16. Both events will be held at Chilliwack Golf Club.
O’Dell said he’s excited for the chance to be the leader of the team, the player the rest of the team looks to when the pressure is on.
“Expectations are pretty high. We have a younger team than we’ve had in the past, with some new faces, but I think we’re just as strong as we’ve ever been.
“With the advantage of hosting the last PacWest event and nationals, I’d say expectations are as high as they’ve ever been.”