Puryear: Spartans' best might be yet to come
Then-MSU junior Jack Newman became the first Spartan golfer to play in the Masters Tournament. Newman was one of five amateur golfers who competed for the Green Jacket.
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Sam Puryear is in his third season as the head coach of the MSU men’s golf team, but how much the program has changed under his guidance only now might begin to be seen.
Although Puryear has continued to build on the solid tradition of Spartans golf by winning a Big Ten Championship in his first year and guiding individual golfers to another successful season in 2008, Puryear truly believes the best is yet to come for the program.
“To me, this is a really exciting time for Michigan State golf,” Puryear said. “Now we can build a really solid championship foundation and go forward.”
One reason for Puryear’s excitement is the success individual golfers have had during summer tournaments. Last season, senior Jack Newman won the U.S. Amateur Public Links and qualified for the 2009 Masters. This year, sophomores Chris Mory and Jimmy Dewling each had successful summers — with Mory winning the GAM Championship — after seeing significant action at the end of their freshman seasons.
The improvement of those two players, as well as the addition of freshman James Ross and Will Morris, make up a couple of key losses from last year’s team.
Payne Gniewek — who played in 11 events as a junior last season — transferred from MSU to Baylor at the end of last season, mainly to be closer to his teaching professional, who is located in Austin, Texas. Another disheartening loss was Graham Baillargeon, who played in 12 events last season as a sophomore. Baillargeon is trying to take time away from the game after a disappointing performance in last year’s Big Ten Tournament.
Those losses aside, Puryear is excited about the future of the program, mainly because the team returns all but one golfer from the lineup they took into last year’s NCAA South Central Regional.
“What we have now is that much more important, and we have some great guys here,” Puryear said. “It actually opened up some chances for some other guys because everybody that played in our regional, with the exception of Payne, is back. … In all honesty, we have the same team back, just minus the one guy.”
Topy Cup experience
Puryear billed the Topy Cup as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and less than a week after returning from Tokyo, Puryear said the event was everything he and the Spartans had hoped for.
“I think for the guys it really opened their eyes. If you can imagine a city with 30 million people, I mean it’s unbelievable,” Puryear said. “The food was totally different. The guys were excited to see McDonald’s.”
The Spartans competed in the 27th annual Topy Cup in Japan last weekend, finishing seventh. Although the Spartans were hoping for a better team performance, the chance to experience a different culture was something they soon won’t forget.
Among the most difficult tasks was trying to travel around the city on their off day taking the subway and bullet trains. Luckily for the Spartans, Puryear said they had sophomore and “master navigator” Dan Ellis, who followed the color-coded lines on the subway map to make sure the Spartans knew where they were.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing to get to go to a country as far away as Japan and see their culture,” Ellis said. “Barring the golf we played, it was a great experience for me.”
Spartan Classic
For the second consecutive year, the men’s golf team will host the Spartan Classic in the Upper Peninsula at The Kingsley Cup.
Puryear said one reason for playing the tournament away from Forest Akers West Golf Course is to promote the fact that MSU is the state school in Michigan. Another is to highlight the golf in northern Michigan, which is widely known to have some of the best courses in the nation.
The 54-hole event will begin with 36 holes Saturday and 18 holes Sunday. Five of the 14 teams in the tournament are traveling from California, and the Spartans will have two teams in the tournament, allowing all of their golfers to participate.
Commentary
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Spartanfan
(09/17/09 1:49pm)Report
Randy Huchtinson—Jordan Ensrud—Phil Snow—Graham Birshon—Payne Gwenick—All gone without playing their full amount of elilgibility. Perhaps you mis quoted the coach…when he was quoted“We have the same team back except one guy..REALLY what happened to the 4 mentioned above? What ever happened to Grant Tungate? Steve Cuzzort?Now A transfer from Cleveland State? Who averaged 77.8 Wow cant wait this team perform.
student
(09/17/09 2:08pm)Report
They either graduated or left to pursue professional careers.
student 123
(09/17/09 10:09pm)Report
Either graduated or left to pursue pro careers that’s bs. Phil snow now at a juco in california. Graham visiting other colleges. Payne now plays for baylor. Tungate has basically quit golf and cuzzort transfered to eastern michigan and almost won division 2 national championship as a individual. All those things happen because of Sam Puryear
student 123
(09/17/09 10:10pm)Report
Either graduated or left to pursue pro careers that’s bs. Phil snow now at a juco in california. Graham visiting other colleges. Payne now plays for baylor. Tungate has basically quit golf and cuzzort transfered to eastern michigan and almost won division 2 national championship as a individual. All those things happen because of Sam Puryear
golf_fan
(09/17/09 10:22pm)Report
CONCERNEDFAN: I’ve had nothing but positive experiences with Coach Puryear. As a parent that attended the same dinner, I never saw Coach Puryear step out of line.
SPARTANFAN: Perhaps you should complete your research prior to making public posts. Jordan transferred to MSU from another instution and both he and Randy exhausted all of their eligibility which is why they are not playing this year.
It’s not unusual for student-athletes to change schools when there is a change in the coaching staff. This is not a direct reflection of the current or in-coming coach.
Of the other players that have left, 1 settled to play for a junior college and 1 is at home. Payne is the only former player to have made a positive move.
Instead of focusing on what you interpret as negative aspects, if you are such a fan and supporter of MSU sports, how about supporting Coach Puryear and the current men’s golf team as opposed to making public comments that could damage the program as a whole.
rainy
(09/18/09 9:42am)Report
I find it disturbing any time a reporter, or author of an article, does not get the facts straight. Shame on Cash Kruth for not doing a better job on that! In favor of golf_fans comment, it would be in the best interest of all who have some connection to MSU golf, whether past or present, to think of the young men who remain on the team. So much is ‘out of their control’ and it will remain that way. College athletics see transitional changes all the time. People have to move on…and that includes all of those who are choosing this article as their personal platform to vent frustration over the changes in the MSU Mens program.
Think of the players and their daily dedication and wish them well. THEY deserve it!
See what bad journalism does to people?
Balanced Golf Fan
(09/19/09 3:52pm)Report
Is it the intent of the MSU men’s golf program detractors to have the ones who support it and the coach to take an in depth look into the factors that contributed to the exits of the following players? If what we find impugns the character of any of the young men in question, how do we report this and what purpose will it serve? How does it serve the interest of the Spartan Program for the coach to speak negatively about the past, as opposed to affirmatively for the future. Mr Fan Posted “Randy Huchtinson—Jordan Ensrud—Phil Snow—Graham Birshon—Payne Gwenick—All gone without playing their full amount of elilgibility. Perhaps you mis-quoted the coach…when he was quoted“We have the same team back except one guy..REALLY what happened to the 4 mentioned above?” Will it help the Spartan Program to look into the truth surrounding their exits? The guys who have gone? The ones who remain? In light of the question being posed by you, Mr. Fan, I suggest you perform real research, as opposed to speculative comments that imply a blatant lack of leadership by the current coach. Someone posted: “Puryear disappointed stabbed it with a knife, lifted it into the air, shoved it into the waiters face and said..How am I supposed to EAT THIS.” Be serious please. This is how you want us to gauge Coach Puryear’s character and influence on young men? In today’s world of sports, with coaches caught in extra-marital affairs and other embarrassing and damaging circumstances, you are focused on his reaction to a bad steak? Thank goodness he didn’t throw a chair across the floor in protest. While we’re looking into Coaches “attitude” would you like for us to check his place of birth as well, to be sure he is an American Citizen? If your comments are going to be inflammatory support them with facts. Till then you are no different than the small number of mindless individuals we see on television intent on impugning the character of our current president, without any regard for the Truth. “What ever happened to Grant Tungate? Steve Cuzzort?” Whatever happened to facts? Your PERCEIVED reality is just that … your own perception. If we are all about supporting MSU men’s golf for the greater good, let’s agree to support the current coach and the current team and put personal smearing tactics aside for the sake of all … past, current and future MSU golfers.
student 123
(09/30/09 1:08pm)Report
look at what has happen to this golf program 3 big ten championships in a row then a 11th place finish. now you people will say well puryear won one of those championships and thats true but he did it with the team hankins put together, not only do we need to think about the 3 kids that left over the summer, phil,graham, and payne, but what about 2 recruits that verbally committed and then didnt come. blake english and barret kelpin. graham is not taking time off we will be seening him teeing up as paynes teammate again soon, phil is the only one that took a step back going from a big ten school to a juco in california but it speaks alot knowing that he was willing to do that because of the way the players are treat by coach puryear.