Flipped the Script
Sep 18, 2024 | Men's Golf, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Understand Cooper Schultz was mired in a funk of all funks entering the final round of the Wildcat Invitational. Schultz, who just two years ago posted the lowest three-round total by a Wildcat during competition at Colbert Hills Golf Course, simply couldn't get anything going Monday on the golf course that he could play in the dark. His putts weren't going down, his frustration was mounting.
"I had a bad attitude because I played so bad at a course that I'm so good at," he said.
Suddenly, all of that changed in the final round on Tuesday.
It's amazing how things can change in 24 hours in this game of golf.
Schultz, down, down the leaderboard on Monday — he was tied for 29th place at 5-over par 149 — charged back in the final round, coming excruciatingly close to tying the single-round Kansas State record, while tying for second in the home tournament.
"Today, I was a lot happier," he said, "and I played better."
Schultz, a senior from Andover, Kansas, fired an 8-under par 64. It was the third-lowest round in school history, and the lowest competitive round by a Wildcat ever at Colbert Hills. He climbed 27 spots on the leaderboard.
Unbelievable.
"It's just what Cooper does," said tournament champion Nick Mason, his roommate. "Yesterday, he was down on himself for how he performed, but I knew he could bounce back. I expected nothing less from him."
K-State head coach Grant Robbins wasn't surprised by Schultz's final-round resurgence.
"Today, he came out wanting to prove something," Robbins said. "When Cooper has a chip on his shoulder, he's really, really good."
Monday was really tough for Schultz. He says that he was beating himself up over uncharacteristic mistakes. He says that he tried too hard to be perfect. He was pressing. He says he just wasn't having fun.
"I found parts of Colbert Hills I'd never seen before," he said. "I was all over the place."
But something happened. Something clicked. And that's what the stars possess — that innate ability to flip the script.
"Today, I was hot for a while," he said. "I hit the ball unreal today."
Schultz entered his senior season with a 71.80 scoring average, which ranked first in school history and just four top-10 finishes from entering the school's top-10 list.
Last season, he posted a team-leading 71.12 scoring average, which ranked third in school history. He was selected to compete as an individual in the NCAA Austin Regional, just the 15th time ever a Wildcat competed in the postseason as an individual. He produced six top-20, four top-10 and a pair of top-five finishes, including a tie for third place in the 2023 Wildcat Invitational at 8-under par 208 to help K-State earn the team title. He had a season-low score of 9-under par 207 to tie for seventh place at the Colleton River Collegiate.
Schultz has had success all his career. He won the 2021 Kansas Amateur Championship, becoming the first current or former K-State player to win the Kansas Amateur since 2012. Then he earned his second straight US Amateur bid, becoming the fourth K-State player ever to compete at the event in consecutive years.
In 2022, he experienced the sweetness of a collegiate championship with an 11-under par 205 to win the Wildcat Invitational.
Yes, he's had ample success at K-State.
And seemingly with a flick of the wrist he's back to playing the brand of golf that he's come to expect from himself.
"I don't know if there's a key to it," he said. "I just try to have fun. Coming down the stretch today, I knew I'd actually have a chance to put some heat on. It's just a different game."
So, what did Schultz prove to himself during his charge up the leaderboard on Tuesday?
"I just proved to myself that golf is a funny game," he said. "It's not always the same. Steph Curry is going to have the same conditions every day. He has no wind to deal with. He might have an off day, but his off day isn't going to be crazy. Golf, anything can happen. My expectation level is high, and I didn't take what the course gave me yesterday. I pressed too much. That hurts when you're playing any course. If you try to go for too much, it's going to kill you. That's what I did yesterday.
"Today I took what the golf course gave me."
And Schultz delivered an emphatic finish.
Understand Cooper Schultz was mired in a funk of all funks entering the final round of the Wildcat Invitational. Schultz, who just two years ago posted the lowest three-round total by a Wildcat during competition at Colbert Hills Golf Course, simply couldn't get anything going Monday on the golf course that he could play in the dark. His putts weren't going down, his frustration was mounting.
"I had a bad attitude because I played so bad at a course that I'm so good at," he said.
Suddenly, all of that changed in the final round on Tuesday.
It's amazing how things can change in 24 hours in this game of golf.
Schultz, down, down the leaderboard on Monday — he was tied for 29th place at 5-over par 149 — charged back in the final round, coming excruciatingly close to tying the single-round Kansas State record, while tying for second in the home tournament.
"Today, I was a lot happier," he said, "and I played better."
Schultz, a senior from Andover, Kansas, fired an 8-under par 64. It was the third-lowest round in school history, and the lowest competitive round by a Wildcat ever at Colbert Hills. He climbed 27 spots on the leaderboard.
Unbelievable.
"It's just what Cooper does," said tournament champion Nick Mason, his roommate. "Yesterday, he was down on himself for how he performed, but I knew he could bounce back. I expected nothing less from him."
K-State head coach Grant Robbins wasn't surprised by Schultz's final-round resurgence.
"Today, he came out wanting to prove something," Robbins said. "When Cooper has a chip on his shoulder, he's really, really good."
Monday was really tough for Schultz. He says that he was beating himself up over uncharacteristic mistakes. He says that he tried too hard to be perfect. He was pressing. He says he just wasn't having fun.
"I found parts of Colbert Hills I'd never seen before," he said. "I was all over the place."
But something happened. Something clicked. And that's what the stars possess — that innate ability to flip the script.
"Today, I was hot for a while," he said. "I hit the ball unreal today."
Schultz entered his senior season with a 71.80 scoring average, which ranked first in school history and just four top-10 finishes from entering the school's top-10 list.
Last season, he posted a team-leading 71.12 scoring average, which ranked third in school history. He was selected to compete as an individual in the NCAA Austin Regional, just the 15th time ever a Wildcat competed in the postseason as an individual. He produced six top-20, four top-10 and a pair of top-five finishes, including a tie for third place in the 2023 Wildcat Invitational at 8-under par 208 to help K-State earn the team title. He had a season-low score of 9-under par 207 to tie for seventh place at the Colleton River Collegiate.
Schultz has had success all his career. He won the 2021 Kansas Amateur Championship, becoming the first current or former K-State player to win the Kansas Amateur since 2012. Then he earned his second straight US Amateur bid, becoming the fourth K-State player ever to compete at the event in consecutive years.
In 2022, he experienced the sweetness of a collegiate championship with an 11-under par 205 to win the Wildcat Invitational.
Yes, he's had ample success at K-State.
And seemingly with a flick of the wrist he's back to playing the brand of golf that he's come to expect from himself.
"I don't know if there's a key to it," he said. "I just try to have fun. Coming down the stretch today, I knew I'd actually have a chance to put some heat on. It's just a different game."
So, what did Schultz prove to himself during his charge up the leaderboard on Tuesday?
"I just proved to myself that golf is a funny game," he said. "It's not always the same. Steph Curry is going to have the same conditions every day. He has no wind to deal with. He might have an off day, but his off day isn't going to be crazy. Golf, anything can happen. My expectation level is high, and I didn't take what the course gave me yesterday. I pressed too much. That hurts when you're playing any course. If you try to go for too much, it's going to kill you. That's what I did yesterday.
"Today I took what the golf course gave me."
And Schultz delivered an emphatic finish.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
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