Liberty Flames Golf Team Start Spring Season At Sea Best Invitational

Following a strong finish in the fall season and a three-month hiatus over the winter, the No. 22 Flames golf team kicks off its spring season Jan. 31 at the 2022 Sea Best Invitational. 

The tournament is a two-day, 54-hole event hosted by conference opponent Jacksonville, and the teams will play in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The tournament includes 12 teams, five of which are ranked in the preseason top 50, with Texas A&M (No. 9) ranked the highest. 

The Flames will enter the spring season with lofty expectations after finishing No. 22 in the fall. 

According to former redshirt-senior Kieran Vincent, the team refuses to get hung up on fulfilling these expectations.

“We know expectations are becoming higher and higher, but we do our best to keep them as low as possible, if that makes sense,” Vincent said. “We’ve got a new team. A lot of guys that we relied on heavily last year are gone, so it’s a new and developing kind
of group.” 

As one of the experienced leaders on the team, Vincent maintains there is no obligation for the team to repeat its performance from the fall. 

“We don’t necessarily feel any pressure. It’s kind of an unwritten thing that’s in the back of most people’s minds, but we’re very articulate about how we go about the process. Just focus on right now and how to get better instead of the end goal,” Vincent said. 

The team has plenty of experience on its roster with four seniors and four juniors. Vincent said that the presence of upperclassmen bodes well for the team. 

“The nice thing about golf is it’s one of those sports where we can return to previous courses we already played and being there a couple times before definitely helps me in my play and the rest of my teammates as well,” he said. 

Vincent and the Flames will look to bring home some hardware this season, but they also recognize the bigger picture outside of golf. 

“As a core, we’re obviously here to win the national championship — that being both individual and as a team. But it’s a little more than that too. We’ve got guys developing spiritually on the course as well as off of it, and that’s the biggest thing I’ve seen,” Vincent said. 

Going into the spring season, the Flames hold an inseparable bond that perfectly encapsulates what Liberty and its athletics program stands for.

“My fondest memory with the team is just the camaraderie, being able to be with so many unique players from so many different pasts and backgrounds,” Vincent said. “I think it’s amazing that Liberty is able to be a home for so many different people.”

The two-day event in Florida will be the Flames’ first action since finishing fourth in a 12-team tournament at Hamptons Intercollegiate Oct. 4 and 5.

McCusker is a sports reporter. Follow him on Twitter