The Iowa State men’s golf team had a middle-of-the-pack performance last weekend at the Fripp Island Intercollegiate Tournament.

Iowa State finished eighth out of a 16-team field on the Ocean Creek golf course in Fripp Island, S.C., with a team total of 896, 33 shots out of first.

“It was kind of an in-between performance,” head coach Jamie Bermel said. “From top to bottom, the field was not as strong as we saw in the fall. There wasn’t great depth in the field. I was hoping for a top-five finish.”

Teams the Cyclones played in the tournament were mostly from the east coast and included West Florida, who took the team title by 14 strokes. The only other northern team besides ISU was Cincinnati, who finished last.

Individually, the Cyclones fared pretty well. Jason Knutzon added his sixth top-10 finish as he shot a five-over par 218 (tied for ninth) with rounds of 74, 72 and 72 in the three-day event.

“I was pleased with how Jason played,” Bermel said. “He had been sick for most of the week before the tournament.”

“I had bronchitis,” Knutzon said. “I didn’t think I’d be able to play, but on the Thursday before [the tournament], I felt good enough to play.”

Also playing well for the Cyclones were Cory Braunschweig, who tied for 19th, and Matt Lewis, who tied for 22nd.

The scores were unusually high, with 80 or above being shot five times by three different ISU players.

“We had pretty good weather,” Bermel said. “It was windy on the first and last days, though.”

“The top three hit well,” Bermel said. “The players’ games are coming around, but we’re having trouble getting the short game (chipping and putting) going and getting putts to drop. The ball-striking by the team has been pretty good.”

With Knutzon’s great finishes, one can’t help but wonder if he’s getting the support from his teammates when contributing to the team effort.

“We all give support to each other,” Knutzon said. “This is probably one of the best golf teams ISU’s ever had. We should be playing better because we have so many good players.”

Knutzon also said the team needs to “get the cobwebs out” by playing more golf, and the team’s focus needs to be better.

However, the short game is definitely the team’s major concern.

“Because our team is struggling with the short game,” Bermel said, “we’re relying more on pars rather than birdies.”

“When the team’s a bit rusty,” Knutzon said, “the short game is the first thing that goes.”

The Cyclones next travel to Turlock, Calif., to compete in the Stevinson Ranch Invitational on March 21-23, a critical tournament according to Bermel.

“There will be a good field with a lot of Big 12 teams,” he said. “This tournament could put us in good position at the NCAA Regionals.”

Knutzon also thinks the tournament is an important place for the Cyclones to do well.

“They take the top seven finishers to the NCAA Regionals,” he said. “We’ll be able to play four or five rounds before the tournament instead of just one, like normal. We should be close enough to mid-season form to get the job done.”

Bermel also emphasized the importance of this meet.

“We need to play well to solidify a berth in the regional,” he said. “The next two tournaments are key. If we do well, we’ll be sitting pretty for regionals.”