Spencer Levin is proving to be the saving grace for UNM men's golf, leading the team to respectable finishes in the first two tournaments of the semester.
The 19-year-old sophomore is quickly making a name for himself at UNM after a series of publicized problems on and off the course led to his decision to transfer this year from UCLA.
"He's been a great addition to our team, and his play will hopefully motivate the rest of the team to improve their games," head coach Glen Millican said.
Levin said he appreciates Millican taking a chance on his abilities and recruiting him despite his past, and he plans on living up to the team's expectations of him.
"I've been practicing my golf game a lot and it's good to be part of a team that supports you," Levin said.
And all his practice seems to be paying off.
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In his second tournament as a Lobo, Levin led the pack from beginning to end, winning the John Burns Intercollegiate in Honolulu, Hawaii with rounds of 67-65-69. His impressive 15-under par led the Lobos to a third-place finish.
UNM led the tournament going into the third round of the three-day event this weekend, but the inconsistency that has plagued the team in the past caught up with it, Levin said.
"We could've done a lot better as a team," he said. "We're all capable of playing good golf, and we all do, but we have to do it on a consistent basis."
Levin also led the team to a strong second-place finish at the first tournament of the semester, the PING-Arizona Intercolle-giate in Tucson Feb. 2-3. The team's combined 18-under par left it 10 strokes behind the University of Arizona, the tournament's winner. Levin finished tied for third with an 11-under-par 202.
Levin's teammates admit they have much work to do on holding their own weight, but said they are making an improvement.
UNM junior Jay Reynolds said aside from a few outstanding personal performances so far this semester, the team has been ineffective.
"There's no reason why we should lead a tournament for two days and lose," said Reynolds, whose 1-under par left him tied for 41st in Hawaii. "Aside from Spencer, we've all been playing mediocre."
And while the team is still looking for answers, it is quietly improving. The men have finished among the top five in both of the semester's tournaments, compared to only one such feat in all of the fall semester.
The team has also had five players finish among the top-15 in the semester's two starts, a stark difference from the fall. Sophomore Jae Choi's 6-under par earned him a tie for 13th in Hawaii, and his 3-under par at the PING-Arizona Intercollegiate in Tucson was good enough for a tie for 12th.
Reynolds tied for ninth place in Tucson with a final score of 5-under par, his best showing this semester.
"Some of the guys are capable of doing better, but we have the talent to really make a name for ourselves," Levin said. "Once we get the consistency we need, we'll be winning some of these tournaments."
