Robertson and Peters reflect on golf team's top-ten finish at nationals

A veteran Bisons golf team didn't take anything for granted when they departed for the 2023 Canadian University Championships in Ontario at the end of May. 
 
Voted in as a wild card, the five-person team of Cole Peters, Trent Robertson, Cameron McIntyre, Connor Stewart and Derek Benson made the cut for the first time since 2018, finishing tenth overall in a field of 20 at FireRock Golf Club. 
 
"We didn't have anything to lose, so we just went and took advantage of the wild card spot," said Robertson, a three-year Bisons veteran.  
 
"It's big for the program, too. In two years time we're done, and I just want guys to want to play for the U of M. To make the cut shows that we can compete. We took advantage of it and it worked out."
 
The course was designed by the same person who crafted Southwood's greens in Winnipeg. It was "tight and narrow," according to Robertson, but once you were on the fairway it was "pretty much a green light on every hole."
 
McIntyre competing in his last tournament as a Bison along with Stewart, led the way, finishing in a tie for 24th. Known as a player who's steady off the tee, he had ten birdies overall, with his best round coming in the third. He scored 73 on the day, going over par on just three holes.

Peters, in his fourth year, finished 29th, and had his best round in the third as well, along with Benson, who finished 46th. The former had two birdies and finished over par on just four holes in round three, with three of those holes being par fives, while Benson was over par on only three holes in round three, along with two birdies. 

Robertson, who finished tied for 39th, shot 75 in two different rounds, and had eight birdies total, while Stewart(47th) had his best day in round three, and shot below 80 in the third and fourth rounds. 
 
"My driver wasn't great all week, but I was able to miss in the correct spots. Once you play a golf course you kind of realize where you can and can't hit it. I was able to control my misses in a way that I could still attack to the centre of the green," noted Peters. 
 
"There were a lot of wedges into greens. I think that's something that I'm usually pretty good at, so I was able to go after pins a little more often. I didn't make as many puts as I would've liked, but that's golf. If you could control it off the tee and keep it in play, you could go after it."
 
The Herd remained in the top ten throughout play, with their best score coming in round two, with a 297 on the Wednesday. Even when the shots weren't falling, they remained composed and stuck together, which was imperative to their success. 
 
"After the first day when we debriefed our rounds, we felt that we were in a decent spot and just needed to keep the foot on the gas pedal and control what we can control. We were able to do that on the Wednesday," said Peters. 
 
"We didn't lose any ground that day, which set us up on that third day to make the cut. You get a little more comfortable after you see a golf course, even if it is just after one full tournament round. We know we're all good at the game. If we're hitting it well, we can shoot good scores. It reflected that day."
 
'It's a team game at the end of the day'
The tournament was the last for Stewart and McIntyre, which wasn't lost on their teammates. The group "didn't dwell on their negatives," keeping things fun and loose. 
 
"That's probably the first time as a Bison that I felt we were there as a team and everyone was trying to achieve the same thing together," noted Robertson. "It's a team game at the end of the day. We're all kind of figuring that out as we go. We did a good job of that."
 
"Getting to the airport early Monday morning, we were all very excited. We knew we had a good chance to make the cut, and we believed in each other, even when the scores weren't what we wanted them to be," added Peters. "Just to be able to pick each other up when those things happen, and the bonding throughout, that's one of our main things as a team."
 
Making the cut is a big step for the program, but they have a bigger goal in mind. With eight members back next year, the mission is to win a national title, much like the Herd's 2014 roster. 
 
"I think this was a good stepping stone in that direction that we want to go," said Peters. "We know what we're capable of, and if we continue to work and get better, we can get back to nationals, make the cut again and keep improving. This tournament really bodes well for us going forward."