With the course chewing up many players over the weekend, Scott Fernandez battled through and finished the Northern Intercollegiate tied for second place this past weekend.

“I’m really happy about the results,” Fernandez said. “[I] played a tough course with tough conditions.”

Shooting a 219 (+6), Fernandez fell behind the leader by just three strokes.

Remaining disciplined throughout the weekend, Fernandez fought an uphill battle against rough winds and what coach Andrew Tank described as a “championship-caliber” course.

Since it was the first time the team has competed in the tournament, the course offered a new test of player’s capabilities.

“I’ve been there in the 2007 NCAA regional, but it’s the first time for [the team] to see it,” Tank said. “The golf course is very challenging.”

While Fernandez persevered, low scores and poor play left the team disappointed after finishing the Northern Intercollegiate as the ninth place team, carding a total of 931 (+79).

“It was extremely disappointing from a results standpoint,” Tank said of his team’s performance.

Blake Waller, who finished 49th (+29), felt the effects of the wind throughout the tournament.

“The wind would holler through the holes differently,” Waller said. “It throws you off.”

While the wind exposed a weakness in some player’s games, the team is looking forward to correcting those mistakes.

“I’m glad that it’s windy this week so we can work on it,” Waller said.

Tank also believes his players can take something constructive from the experience.

“The nice thing about getting beat up on a golf course like this is that it exposes your weaknesses,” Tank said.

Senior Borja Virto was not expecting to open the season in this condition.

“It was rough out there,” Virto said. “[The course] was playing tough, so I didn’t hit as many fairways as usual.”

As the leaderboard left Fernandez content, others were also left stunned.

“[It was a] bit of a wakeup call, we didn’t do too well as a team and personally I didn’t do too well,” said Sam Daley.

Daley, who finished with the third-best freshman season in history last year, finished last on the team coming in 52nd place with a score of 244 (+31).

Moving forward, Daley said he’s focusing on qualifying within the team for the VCU Shootout.

With the weekend behind them, the men’s golf team will focus on individual practice and return to team practice the following Monday.

Tank said he advised his players to focus on “practicing with more of a purpose” this week.

“My message to them is to really take some time to reflect on what they learned,” Tank said.

Zach Steffen, who finished tied for 34th (+23), plans to use Tank’s advice.

“I need to work on my swing,” Steffen said.

Although the weekend performance was not up to team standards, Duncan Croudis believes that his game doesn’t need major adjustments. Croudis, who tied for 36th (+24), looks to continue to trust what he is doing and “worry about the process more than the outcome.”

 The team’s next play is Sept. 24 in Richmond, Va., at the VCU Shootout.