The Cincinnati men’s golf team is heading south for one final stretch of regular-season competition, traveling to West Point, Mississippi, to compete in the Mossy Oak Collegiate. The tournament serves as the critical final tune-up before the program shifts its focus toward the postseason and the upcoming conference championships.
Action begins Monday with a 9 a.m. ET shotgun start, featuring 36 holes of play to open the event, followed by Tuesday tee times starting at 9 a.m. For the Bearcats, the trip to Mississippi is less about the trophy and more about finding a rhythm before the stakes escalate at the end of the month.
The Cincinnati men’s golf team at the Mossy Oak Collegiate will be led by a seasoned core, with senior Ryan Ford, sophomore Leo Wessel, freshman Brayden Miller and seniors Connor McNeely and Connor Cassano comprising the primary lineup. Senior Rylan Wotherspoon will too be in the field, competing as an individual.
A Final Test Before the Big 12 Championship
This event marks the conclusion of a five-tournament spring slate designed to prepare the squad for the Big 12 Championship, scheduled for April 27-29 at the Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kansas. The transition to the Big 12 has placed a premium on consistency, a trait the Bearcats have chased throughout the season.
The spring campaign has been a study in steady performance. Cincinnati secured a tie for eighth at the Colleton River Collegiate on March 2 and a tie for seventh at The Johnnie-O on March 10. They followed those results with a sixth-place finish at the Oregon Duck Invitational on March 24 and a tie for 14th in a deep, 30-team field at The Goodwin on March 28. These results build upon a strong fall showing where the team placed in the top five in four of five tournaments, highlighted by a dominant 11-stroke victory at the Bearcat Invitational in September.
Navigating the Pastureland of Mossy Oak
The venue for this final regular-season outing is a distinct departure from traditional wooded courses. Mossy Oak Golf Club is a par-72 layout playing at 7,212 yards, designed by renowned architect Gil Hanse and opened in 2016. The course is routed across rolling pastureland, creating a visual and tactical environment that rewards precision and penalizes errant shots with a high volume of hazards.
Notably, the layout features fewer than 20 trees but boasts more than 100 bunkers. This “links-style” openness means that wind and bunker management will be the deciding factors for the 19 teams in the field, which includes host Mississippi State, Alabama, Vanderbilt, and Kansas State.
Cincinnati is no stranger to this environment. The program has competed in Mississippi State’s home tournament for three consecutive years. While the event moved to Old Waverly Golf Club briefly during renovations at Mossy Oak—where the Bearcats finished seventh—they have previously recorded a third-place and an eighth-place finish at the Mossy Oak site.
Individual Stakes and Professional Aspirations
While the team result is paramount, the tournament carries significant individual weight for senior Ryan Ford. Currently holding a 69.96 scoring average and four top-10 finishes, Ford is eyeing a professional transition that is tracked via the PGA TOUR University rankings.
As of April 8, Ford has climbed to 47th in those rankings. The system, operated in partnership with the World Amateur Golf Ranking, is the primary gateway for collegiate players to enter the professional ranks. At the conclusion of the NCAA D-I Men’s National Championship, the top 25 eligible players in the final rankings will earn status on the PGA TOUR, Korn Ferry Tour, or PGA TOUR Americas.
Ford’s consistency is a cornerstone of the Bearcats’ strategy; he has played 14 of his 26 rounds this season under par. He is supported by sophomore Leo Wessel, who maintains a 71.35 average, and freshman Brayden Miller, who has shown a surprising knack for low scores with four of his last nine rounds finishing under par.
Bearcats Key Performance Metrics
| Player | Year | Scoring Average | Key Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Ford | Senior | 69.96 | 4 Top-10s |
| Leo Wessel | Sophomore | 71.35 | 3 Top-10s |
| Brayden Miller | Freshman | 71.92 | 4/9 Recent Rounds Under Par |
| Connor McNeely | Senior | 72.73 | Played all 9 events |
| Rylan Wotherspoon | Senior | 72.87 | Played 8 of 9 events |
The Road to Hutchinson
The objective for the week in West Point is clear: refine the short game and manage the bunkers to ensure a peak performance in Kansas. The Big 12 Championship at Prairie Dunes is notoriously challenging, and the experience gained at Mossy Oak—particularly in handling a high-bunker environment—should provide a psychological and tactical advantage.
The Bearcats’ ability to maintain a tight grouping of scores has been their greatest strength. During their September victory at the Bearcat Invitational at Coldstream Country Club, all five starters finished in the top 14, with the team tallying three consecutive rounds at 6-under par. Replicating that collective depth will be the key to a deep postseason run.
Following the conclusion of the Mossy Oak Collegiate, the team will enter a short window of preparation before teeing off at the Big 12 Championship on April 27.
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