The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Men's Golf: Will Cannon Peaking At Right Time
3/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB men's golf junior Will Cannon has been a staple in the Blazers' lineup all season and has really found his rhythm this spring season. Cannon is coming off his best finish after tying for first place at The Goodwin on Saturday.
A local from just down the road in Hoover, Ala., Cannon has come on strong in the last two tournaments finishing under par in both the Schenkel Invitational as well as The Goodwin. As the team posted a new school record 54-hole score in Palo Alto, Calif., it was Cannon who also found himself making history as he tied a UAB individual record with a 197 (-13) at The Goodwin to earn co-medalist honors.
"I am really proud for Will (Cannon) to be co-champion at The Goodwin," head coach Alan Murray said. "It was as impressive an individual performance that I have witnessed during my time at UAB. To finish at the top of such a strong field is something Will should be very proud of."
The individual performance was the best of his career.Cannon knows that hard work and dedication are athe reasons for his recent success on the course among some of the top golfers in the nation.
"It feels incredible to have a great finish like that," Cannon said. "That is why we all practice and play, to be able to put yourself in that situation and have a chance to win. It very satisfying that the hard work is paying off. The Goodwin is one of the best fields in the country so it is encouraging, not only for me but everyone on this team, to compete with some of the best players. Overall the week was just awesome. It was one of the best weeks I have ever had."
Going into this weekend Cannon knew it was important to have a plan ready for a challenge field that included 24 teams and four of those ranked in the top 25.
"You always try to figure out a game plan going into each event," Cannon remarked. "Basically that course is really tight and the greens are pretty small so it is key to hit fairways. I put a lot of focus on the driver and just tried to hit the greens to set myself up for the opportunity to make birdie putts."
The approach certainly worked as the 2014 Alabama State Amateur Champion never fell out of the top-eight. He opened the tournament with a 66 (-4) in the first 18 holes and only improved from there. He stayed focused by remembering not to look too far ahead and take it one hole at a time.
"I was just trying to stay in the moment and not be too concerned with where I was going to end up," Cannon stated. "I just tried not to get too ahead of myself and focus on the next shot as it comes and try to help the team as much as I can. That is why we are here, to win the team title and whatever I do as an individual just comes as a bonus."
Cannon moved into first place in the second round after shooting a career-best and school record-tying 62 (-8) in the second round. He was able to take advantage of playing at the Stanford Golf Course, one of the top courses in the country.
"The course itself was in terrific shape," Cannon said. "The maintenance crew there did a terrific job. They were perfect conditions. I have only seen a course in that good of condition a handful of times in my life. That made it a lot easier, but the course is very demanding all the way through. You have to make good shots and if you did hit good shots you were rewarded by the course so it was a lot of fun to play."
With one tournament remaining in the regular season, Cannon hopes this will be a big stepping stone for the UAB men's golf team before the Blazers prepare for the Conference USA Tournament and a possible fifth-straight trip to the NCAA Regionals.
"I think first off, this tournament gives all of us a lot of confidence," Cannon stated. "We had been finishing right around that 5th place area all year and to be able to win a tournament like this is big for us. It gives us confidence going into the tournament at Mississippi State then eventually the post season, knowing that we can compete with anybody. So I am really looking forward to what is to come."
It wasn't all work for the Blazers as Cannon and the rest of the team were able to experience some of California's sites during the stay on the Pacific coast.
"We had a lot of fun," Cannon said. "We got to go over to San Francisco to see the Golden Gate Bridge. I have never been to California so that was really cool to go see that. One day we went go-karting so it was a lot of fun, we had a great time."
UAB will return to work next week at the Old Waverly Collegiate Championship hosted by Mississippi State to close out the regular season April 6-7.
For the latest news on Blazer sports, follow the UAB Athletics Twitter account: @UABathletics. For men's golf news, follow@UAB_MensGolf.
