Overcoming key losses in the offseason, AU men’s golf ready for fall tournaments

By Chris Rickerson | Sports editor

Augusta University men’s golf team is looking forward to the start of the 2021-22 season as they prepare to get back to a normal fall schedule. 

The Jaguars only had two events during the fall last year due to COVID-19. This season they have all five events.

Jack O’Keefe, coach of the AU men’s golf team, said he is excited to get back to more fall tournaments this season. 

“Luckily the fall season is booked back to normal and we start out with an excellent tournament at the Maui Jim Invitational with a really good field against some of the top conferences,” said O’Keefe. “It’s always a fun way to start out the year and we got a young team, but we have a lot of talent and will be ready to go when we get out there.” 

The Maui Jim Invitational takes place in Scottsdale, Ariz. on Sept. 10-12. The team then travels to Chattanooga, Tenn., for the Honors Course Intercollegiate on Sept. 20-21. 

In 2010, the Jaguars won their first national championship in school history at the Honors Course in Tennessee. 

“That will be fun to go back there and try to rekindle some great memories,” said O’Keefe. 

The last tournament in September takes place in Madison, Wis. for the Badger Invitational on Sept. 27-28.

For October, the team will start in Johnson City, Tenn. for the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate on Oct. 10-12. The Jaguars finishes off the fall in Orlando, Fla., for the Tavistock Invitational on Oct. 17-19. 

AU men’s golf team has many golfers returning to play, along with three new comers on the team this year. 

Returning this year for the Jaguars includes sophomore Wilhelm C. Berg Von Linde, sophomore Dawson Booth, sophomore Brock Hoover, junior Viktor Lindgren, sophomore Jack Vajda, sophomore Hampus Wijkstrom and junior Alex van Wyk.

Vajda says he is looking forward to the start of season and is looking to improve from last season. 

“We’re all looking forward to a new year and to play at a high level again,” said Vajda. “We all have high expectations of playing high level golf as a team and putting up some good scores to lead the team to some victories again. As for me, I’m looking to improve from last year and putting myself into more situations like the tournament at GA Southern last year. Having a lead with nine holes to go in a collegiate event is huge, but my goal is to close the deal this time.” 

Ben van Wyk, former AU men’s top golfer, transferred to the University of Georgia during the offseason, but his brother Alex says he is ready to lead the team this season. 

“I did not have a good spring last year, but I learnt from it,” said van Wyk. “This year I feel like I am more focused and in a much better place mentally, and I am ready to lead the team this year.”

AU also added a trio of freshman this season that includes Austin Dolan, Gareth Steyn and CJ van Wyk. 

Steyn was ranked the No. 4 junior in Australia and van Wyk was the sixth-ranked junior golfer in South Africa. O’Keefe says he expects all three golfers to play a big role for the Jaguars. 

“We are excited for them to join us and those three guys will make a pretty big immediate impact for us,” said O’Keefe. 

JP van der Walt, former AU assistant coach for the men’s and women’s golf team, has also left the university. O’Keefe said they are in the process of finding a coach, and van der Walt will be missed. 

“He did a great job and will be hard to replace, but we will find someone to take his spot and help us out,” said O’Keefe. 

With many hurdles to overcome, the Jaguars are prepared to begin their fall season in just a few weeks.