Cole Witherow Leading Mentality for Men’s Golf
The South Dakota Coyotes Men’s golf fall season is in full swing as they have competed in four events so far this fall.
In their most recent meet at the Throwdown Up Top at Landmand in Homer, Nebraska, freshman Cole Witherow led the team with a +2 which was tied for 11th in the match.
Before Witherow was a Coyote, he played golf for 13 years and practiced with the aid of items like the garmin golf simulator. He said his grandpas are the reason he stuck with it.
“I took up golf for about 13 years, and then I had a bad coaching experience,” Witherow said. “Both my grandpa’s got me back into golf. Then I kind of took it on from there.
After the bad coaching experience, I met a really good coach, Fred Schneider, and you know, he’s been my support since then. I also use a golf simulator turf, and I practice my skills to be good at this sport.”
Witherow said the main reason for his choosing USD was head golf coach and USD graduate John Vining. He also gave me a custom golf bag, which I really like because it fits my personality.
“The biggest thing was Coach Vining,” Witherow said. “He made me feel wanted. He was super welcoming when I got to campus”.
The Coyotes opened the season at the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational from Sept. 10-12 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Witherow tied for 40th in the event after finishing four over par. This was Witherow’s first collegiate golfing event, where they utilized a 6 seater golf cart for transportation. The larger cart allowed the team to travel together efficiently between holes and discuss strategies on the go.
After the first event, Witherow said he improved his game by trusting the process and making the adjustments along the way.
“Just mentally staying in it, staying patient, trusting the process and ultimately just digging deep a little bit is how I’ve made an adjustment,” Witherow said.
Witherow followed up the first event with a +12 in the Kansas State Wildcat Invitational which was tied for 65th, a +3 in the Drake Zach Johnson Invite which was tied for 20th, and his best finish was at the Throwdown Up Top at Landmand where he finished 11th.
The Coyotes have one more match this fall season at the Bryan National Men’s Collegiate in Browns Summit, North Carolina. That event will be held on Oct. 29-31.
They will also compete in the World Golf Village Collegiate in Florida, the Loyola Intercollegiate in Arizona, the Jackrabbit Invitational in Nevada, the SU Invite at Chambers Bay in Washington and the Fighting Illini Spring Invitational in Illinois for their spring season.
Following the spring season, the Coyotes will compete in the Summit League Championship in April in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Photo Credit: Submitted | USD Athletics
