Inclement weather at the Pfleider Invitational in Beaumont, Texas led to a sixth place finish for the ISU men’s golf team last week. The tournament, originally scheduled for 54 holes, turned into an 18 hole affair due to 10 inches of rain the day before the event.

Jamie Bermel, head coach of the golf squad, was not satisfied by the finish.

“The course was unplayable,” Bermel said. “Standing water was all over the course, and we turned in scores that weren’t very good.”

Jason Knutzon led the Cyclones with a 1-under par 71 to place in a tie for seventh. Matt Lewis and Scott Hart finished tied for 23rd, each firing 74s; Jon Brackmann shot a 75 to finish tied for 35th and Cory Braunschwieg fired a 76 to tie for 46th.

Overall, the Cyclones fired an 18-hole total of 294, 11 shots behind team champion Texas-Arlington, who is coached by former ISU golfer and assistant coach Mark Haskins. Lamar University, who finished three shots behind Arlington in second at 286, hosted the event.

“Mark has a good team at Arlington,” Bermel said. “Lamar is very difficult to beat on its home course. Sam Houston State also has a good team. After that, most of the teams were average.”

One of the reasons for the higher scores, according to Bermel, was impatience.

“Our kids had a lot of impatience while we were there,” Bermel said. “Jason fired a pretty decent round considering the conditions, but I am sure he would’ve liked to have played the remaining rounds that were canceled.”

The course on which the Invitational was played, Beaumont Country Club, was, according to Bermel, a “short, treeless, flat, easy course” where the medalist, who shot 68, “could’ve shot 65 easily on a normal day.”

Many missed short putts contributed to some of the higher scores, such as Braunschwieg’s 76.

“Cory four-putted one of the holes because of the standing water,” Bermel said. “He was already well over-par very early but recovered very well to salvage a 76.”

Despite the average effort by the Cyclones, Bermel said this was a good test before the “meat” of the schedule.

“This was a good warm-up before we get into the stretch of events against conference teams,” Bermel said. “We’ve had a couple of good days of practice this week.”

The Kansas Invitational, to be played in Lawrence at the Alvamar Golf Course September 21-22, features many Big 12 teams including Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, and Texas Tech.

“It will be a big test for us,” Bermel said. “At the same time, it will be a good measuring stick to see where we stand in our own conference.”