The goal this spring for the ISU men’s golf team has been consistent play, something the Cyclones are still searching for.

“We’ve been looking for consistency all year,” said ISU coach Jay Horton. “Whether it has been in the lineup or in the way we’re playing, it has just been one of those years where it’s varied.”

This weekend, Iowa State is set to tee up at the Boilermaker Invitational, its last tournament test before the Big 12 Championships.

The tournament begins with the first two rounds on Saturday and concludes on Sunday with the final 18 holes.

The Cyclones are coming off a sixth-place finish at the Diet Pepsi Shocker Invitational in Wichita, Kan., earlier this month — a tournament in which Iowa State sat just five strokes out of fourth place with 18 holes to go.

“Throughout the spring, we’ve been more in the mix,” Horton said. “We haven’t been on the top end of that mix, but we’ve had shots about every event where if we played a good last round, we could really shoot up the charts.

“We haven’t gotten that last round in and gotten it done yet, and that’s part of the consistency thing.”

Iowa State has been led this spring in all but one event by freshman Chris Baker, who said he also sees potential.

“This whole spring we’ve been constantly improving. We’ve been getting closer to how we need to be playing and what we need to be doing,” he said. “Our team’s been playing pretty good, I think.

“Mainly we just need to keep doing what we’re doing and play with some confidence.”

Horton agreed with Baker’s assessment and said he thought that with a couple breaks, the Cyclones could make a move up the leaderboard.

“I think the guys are playing better, their scores are getting better, and I think they’re doing some good things out on the course,” Horton said. “It’s just a matter of putting it all together on the golf course.”

With the Big 12 Championships approaching in two weeks, Iowa State can use this tournament as a tune-up for the postseason. Horton said the Boilermaker could be a great preview to how things may shake out at the conference championship.

“It’s a good long golf course,” Horton said. “It will be a good test to prepare us for what we will see at the Big 12, so I’m anxious to see how we handle it.”

The Big 12 Championship will be held at Whispering Pines Golf Course in Trinity, Texas, from April 29 to May 1.