--It was Covich's 40th birthday when all of this occurred. They had a great season going and they won their home tournament and finished third at Wake Forest. Had a good showing in Hawaii and had a good fall, where at one point they were top 25. Played a few events in the spring but the weather is obviously hit or miss here. The highlight was Logan Perkins shooting a 62 a school record in Florida.
--The news kept changing leading up to the decision to cancel the season. They had a trip planned to the Carolinas but then they started to get calls from administrators that they wouldn't be able to do that. Then everything started to get canceled including golf itself. It was like watching something slow happen. They had an idea it was going to happen but the seniors took it harder than anybody.
--Two seniors on the team Philipp Matlari and Etienne Papineau are able to come back now for the full year despite golf being a two-season sport. Whether they come back or not, he doesn't know because there is a lot to be determined. Covich did say that he would love for both to come back with each of them playing well at this stage of his career and both are great student athletes. He doesn't know if it will work out but he would love to have them back. They originally decided to graduate in May and pursue professional opportunities but there are now decisions to be made on how this entire situation will play out. But if they do they can play the entire season.
--Covich said that his formula works best at West Virginia if they have eight or nine guys because of the facilities they travel to and practice at. It gives them some flexibility with the numbers because everybody will get an extra year. They now have to juggle what it looks like in the future with scholarships if some of those players want to take advantage of that extra year.
--A practice facility for a golf team is not the top priority right now as you want things to return to normal. They want to get the world back to normal and being able to travel and compete before you start to worry about those type of things.
--As far as the majors all the American events have been rescheduled. Covich's reaction was so excited that the Masters would be played this year because it's a sign that sports could be back this fall. He doesn't think it's going to affect anybody's decisions at West Virginia but they are excited.
--It depends on where you're at if golf courses are open in different states. Some players are not able to play so they've been in the backyard hitting into a net but others are able to play every day. Most golf courses have done something to the cups so nobody touches things and you can physically distance while playing the game.
--Covich thought his program would be where it is now in some senses but others it's been accelerated. It's about the quality of the players they have and how they've been able to build the program that way. He loves that they have made such strides so early and it's been a lot of fun. He is hoping that the situation doesn't take momentum away from the program.
--The Masters holds a special place in the sporting world compared to the normal PGA sporting event. Hopefully that gets played in 2020 to help. Golf and tournament golf are entirely different. The crowd certainly adds to it and when you have somebody watching you play it just adds to it.
--The news kept changing leading up to the decision to cancel the season. They had a trip planned to the Carolinas but then they started to get calls from administrators that they wouldn't be able to do that. Then everything started to get canceled including golf itself. It was like watching something slow happen. They had an idea it was going to happen but the seniors took it harder than anybody.
--Two seniors on the team Philipp Matlari and Etienne Papineau are able to come back now for the full year despite golf being a two-season sport. Whether they come back or not, he doesn't know because there is a lot to be determined. Covich did say that he would love for both to come back with each of them playing well at this stage of his career and both are great student athletes. He doesn't know if it will work out but he would love to have them back. They originally decided to graduate in May and pursue professional opportunities but there are now decisions to be made on how this entire situation will play out. But if they do they can play the entire season.
--Covich said that his formula works best at West Virginia if they have eight or nine guys because of the facilities they travel to and practice at. It gives them some flexibility with the numbers because everybody will get an extra year. They now have to juggle what it looks like in the future with scholarships if some of those players want to take advantage of that extra year.
--A practice facility for a golf team is not the top priority right now as you want things to return to normal. They want to get the world back to normal and being able to travel and compete before you start to worry about those type of things.
--As far as the majors all the American events have been rescheduled. Covich's reaction was so excited that the Masters would be played this year because it's a sign that sports could be back this fall. He doesn't think it's going to affect anybody's decisions at West Virginia but they are excited.
--It depends on where you're at if golf courses are open in different states. Some players are not able to play so they've been in the backyard hitting into a net but others are able to play every day. Most golf courses have done something to the cups so nobody touches things and you can physically distance while playing the game.
--Covich thought his program would be where it is now in some senses but others it's been accelerated. It's about the quality of the players they have and how they've been able to build the program that way. He loves that they have made such strides so early and it's been a lot of fun. He is hoping that the situation doesn't take momentum away from the program.
--The Masters holds a special place in the sporting world compared to the normal PGA sporting event. Hopefully that gets played in 2020 to help. Golf and tournament golf are entirely different. The crowd certainly adds to it and when you have somebody watching you play it just adds to it.