SE: Tillmanns Comes Out of Adjustment Period with Hot Start for K-State Men’s Golf
Oct 21, 2019 | Men's Golf, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
In some ways, Tim Tillmanns' start to his K-State career was hard to believe.
Tillmanns, in his K-State debut, went 4-1 at the Big 12 Match Play Tournament to help K-State, the 10th seed, finish third. This, after not qualifying for either of K-State's first two tournaments. This, after being sidelined most of the summer with mono.
"It was definitely great," Tillmanns, on the Colbert Hills' driving range by himself, said of the start to his career. "I didn't expect that, to be honest, because I didn't play much this season due to sickness. I was happy. It showed me that the work I've put in here really has started to pay off. It was great."
His initial transition, however? Not so great.
"It was very tough," Tillmanns said, as K-State plays at the Royal Oaks Intercollegiate on Monday and Tuesday in Dallas, Texas. "I came in here and had basically two weeks' time to practice. So, I came here somewhat prepared…obviously not as much as I wanted to. It was definitely difficult at first with the (team) qualifying, basically starting off two weeks after I got here. I played pretty solid, but I felt like I could have played better."
In fairness, Tillmanns faced a larger number of adjustments in his college transition than most.
A native of Cologne, Germany, with a population of over 1 million, he had to get used to a much smaller city with barely anyone he knew in it. This, like his golf game, got better quick.
"I'm more of a city guy, so coming out here is definitely different for me, but I do enjoy it very much," he said. "It's obviously a college town. There are many people in my age range, so it's easy here (to make friends). Everyone's very nice. That's definitely what I like more about here."
Then, there are the golf courses. Tillmanns said they are set up "way differently" in the United States than the European ones he grew up on.
"They're way longer, wider fairways and, around the greens, it's way more difficult here. Also, the grass, (like) the zoysia, I've never played on something like that, so I needed to adjust to that as well," Tillmanns said. "It's just practicing, playing, just putting in the work to get used to the conditions here."
Tillmanns' work played a big part in K-State's breakout performance at the Big 12 Match Play Tournament.
He came back from a three-hole deficit to win, 2&1, against Oklahoma's Jake Holbrook, as K-State topped the second-seeded Sooners, 4-2-0. He topped Kansas senior Andy Spencer, 1UP, to force a 3-3-0 tie against the Jayhawks. Then, Tillmanns led wire-to-wire in a 2&1 win against Baylor's Johnny Keefer, helping K-State earn three more points against the tournament's third seed.
Tillmanns' lone loss came against Oklahoma State's Brian Stark, an AJGA All-American who bested the Wildcat freshman by one hole. Tillmanns responded with a 4&2 win against Texas' Mason Nome, a freshman who was one of the top American junior players in high school.
"The thing that impressed me most was just his poise," K-State head coach Grant Robbins said of Tillmanns. "Being his first tournament on a big stage like that, he didn't blink and was very solid from start to finish."
Throw in all the newness and transition hurdles, and it was hard to know what to expect from the tall lefty.
"It's tough. This year for our team, especially, we were counting on so many new guys and, especially the guys that are coming from overseas, there's an adjustment period, getting comfortable with classes, getting comfortable with the different types of grasses we have over here," Robbins said. "I know he's struggled a little bit with being sick and the allergies and things like that, but you put him in a tournament and you just never know. You see guys in qualifying and then you see them in a tournament and, sometimes, you just see a whole different of them in tournaments.
"I think that's what we saw in Tim. We saw someone that seemed like he's been there before and didn't miss a beat. After that tournament, we learned a lot about our team and a lot about Tim. I think he could be really solid for us going forward."
As K-State moves forward, Tillmanns said his plan to continue his hot start is to treat every tournament like he did his first for K-State.
"Basically, have a match play mentality," he said. "I feel like I've been way more confident on the green and around the greens in match play situations because I didn't really think about the consequences. I've just, basically, stayed in the moment. We just need keep the confidence. Match play showed us we can beat the top teams in the country, and we should have that mentality throughout all the tournaments."
In some ways, Tim Tillmanns' start to his K-State career was hard to believe.
Tillmanns, in his K-State debut, went 4-1 at the Big 12 Match Play Tournament to help K-State, the 10th seed, finish third. This, after not qualifying for either of K-State's first two tournaments. This, after being sidelined most of the summer with mono.
"It was definitely great," Tillmanns, on the Colbert Hills' driving range by himself, said of the start to his career. "I didn't expect that, to be honest, because I didn't play much this season due to sickness. I was happy. It showed me that the work I've put in here really has started to pay off. It was great."
His initial transition, however? Not so great.
"It was very tough," Tillmanns said, as K-State plays at the Royal Oaks Intercollegiate on Monday and Tuesday in Dallas, Texas. "I came in here and had basically two weeks' time to practice. So, I came here somewhat prepared…obviously not as much as I wanted to. It was definitely difficult at first with the (team) qualifying, basically starting off two weeks after I got here. I played pretty solid, but I felt like I could have played better."
In fairness, Tillmanns faced a larger number of adjustments in his college transition than most.
A native of Cologne, Germany, with a population of over 1 million, he had to get used to a much smaller city with barely anyone he knew in it. This, like his golf game, got better quick.
"I'm more of a city guy, so coming out here is definitely different for me, but I do enjoy it very much," he said. "It's obviously a college town. There are many people in my age range, so it's easy here (to make friends). Everyone's very nice. That's definitely what I like more about here."
Then, there are the golf courses. Tillmanns said they are set up "way differently" in the United States than the European ones he grew up on.
"They're way longer, wider fairways and, around the greens, it's way more difficult here. Also, the grass, (like) the zoysia, I've never played on something like that, so I needed to adjust to that as well," Tillmanns said. "It's just practicing, playing, just putting in the work to get used to the conditions here."
Tillmanns' work played a big part in K-State's breakout performance at the Big 12 Match Play Tournament.
He came back from a three-hole deficit to win, 2&1, against Oklahoma's Jake Holbrook, as K-State topped the second-seeded Sooners, 4-2-0. He topped Kansas senior Andy Spencer, 1UP, to force a 3-3-0 tie against the Jayhawks. Then, Tillmanns led wire-to-wire in a 2&1 win against Baylor's Johnny Keefer, helping K-State earn three more points against the tournament's third seed.
Tillmanns' lone loss came against Oklahoma State's Brian Stark, an AJGA All-American who bested the Wildcat freshman by one hole. Tillmanns responded with a 4&2 win against Texas' Mason Nome, a freshman who was one of the top American junior players in high school.
"The thing that impressed me most was just his poise," K-State head coach Grant Robbins said of Tillmanns. "Being his first tournament on a big stage like that, he didn't blink and was very solid from start to finish."
Throw in all the newness and transition hurdles, and it was hard to know what to expect from the tall lefty.
"It's tough. This year for our team, especially, we were counting on so many new guys and, especially the guys that are coming from overseas, there's an adjustment period, getting comfortable with classes, getting comfortable with the different types of grasses we have over here," Robbins said. "I know he's struggled a little bit with being sick and the allergies and things like that, but you put him in a tournament and you just never know. You see guys in qualifying and then you see them in a tournament and, sometimes, you just see a whole different of them in tournaments.
"I think that's what we saw in Tim. We saw someone that seemed like he's been there before and didn't miss a beat. After that tournament, we learned a lot about our team and a lot about Tim. I think he could be really solid for us going forward."
As K-State moves forward, Tillmanns said his plan to continue his hot start is to treat every tournament like he did his first for K-State.
"Basically, have a match play mentality," he said. "I feel like I've been way more confident on the green and around the greens in match play situations because I didn't really think about the consequences. I've just, basically, stayed in the moment. We just need keep the confidence. Match play showed us we can beat the top teams in the country, and we should have that mentality throughout all the tournaments."
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