In his last year of college golf eligibility, Powell River’s Robbie Potesta said he is having his dream season. Potesta and his Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mariners golf teammates are heading to the 2016 Canadian College Athletic Association national golf championship, held in Charlottetown, PEI, from October 17 to 20.
Mariners earned a trip to the nationals by placing third at the recent Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) provincial golf championship, winning the first medal since 2011 for VIU’s men’s golf team, which was also the last time the squad appeared at the national event.
Potesta shot 73-73, for a total of 146, placing him in a tie for seventh place in the final PACWEST tournament of the season. It was his second round that made the difference.
“This was a team event, I was four over after the first nine holes,” said Potesta. “We were down by three shots so my round was going to take us out of going to nationals. I blistered the back nine and shot three under coming in.”
That back nine score assured the Mariners a spot in the nationals.
According to Potesta, he is hitting the ball unbelievably at the moment. “Everything is dead-centre right now,” said Potesta, who describes the last two weeks as the best stretch golf he has ever played.
“Actually, this whole summer was unbelievable,” he said. “I shot my best rounds ever this year.”
However, he added, there was one suspension.
“I was suspended in the third week for getting into an altercation with another guy,” he said.
Potesta said he has been out hitting balls every day to keep his game and mindset as consistent as possible, but there is something he will have no control over at the nationals: weather. He expects it to be cold during the event.
“Some of my best rounds have been in the wet and cold,” he said. “When I first started playing golf, I was horrible. It has gotten better over time, so it’s definitely an improvement.”
