G o L F 54 Golf Bisons Putt to Fourth Straight Title Fo r the fou rth year in a row, Harding's golf team won the 1983 Arkansas Inter~ collegiate Conference Golf Title. The Bisons overcame a very wet spring and lack of experience to win the crown. In 1983, Coach Watkins had problems to rebuild the team since many had graduated. He was very optimistic about the coming season. "From top to bottom, ~his could be one of our strongest teams, " said Watkins. "We're going to be competitive." Returning from last year's team were John Hendricks and three-time All-AlC and All-NAIA District 17 performer Hubie Smith. Newcomers to the team included transfer student John Talkington , sophomore John Ta te, freshman Bob Pittenger, freshman Mike Saegert and freshman Didier Villard. The Bisons lived up to Coach Watkins' expectations winning the first round of con· Ference competition with a team total of 303. Smith tied for an overall low score of a 73, the third year in a row Smith had done so . Har· ding placed four golfers in the top ten fin ishers. The closest competition was Ouachita Baptist University which fi ni shed second with a team total of 316. The second scheduled AIC golf match was washed out. Normally the AlC go lf championship is determined by the best score afte r six rounds, but with the rain out of round two, 1983 would on ly have five rounds with the second round not held. The rains subsided long enough so that round three could be played. The go lfers not only had to battle each other but also 40 degree weather and blustery winds. The Bisons finished in fourth place with a team total of 341, twelve strokes behind Arkan· sas Tech University. Smith had the low score for the Bisons with an 82. Going into round four the Bisons stood in second place in the standings. Ha rding, as a team, shot a 319 just one stroke in front of the University of Central Arkansa s. The difference was Didier Villard. Harding needed a par from Villard to win. Villard sank an eight foot putt to par the hole and the Bisons won. Watkins said, "Villard en· joys pressure. I am glad he does, because I sure don't. " The final two rounds were very importan t fo r the Bisons because not only did it count towards AIC Championship but also NAIA District 17 Championship and a trip to the nationa ls in Ft. Wor th , Texas. Harding won both rounds. On Friday , they shot a team total of 320 with the next closest opponent being the University of Central Arkansas which was three back. On Satu rday , the Bisons improved to shoot a team total of 315 which was three shots better than Arkansas Tech University. T he Bisons gathered a two day total of 635, eleven sho ts ahead of second place Arkan· sas Tech University. Individual low scorers for Harding were Smith who shot 76 and 77 for a two round total of 153, Vi ll ard shot 83 and 76 for a two day total of 159, Hendricks shot 82 and 79 for a two day total of 161 and Saegert shot 83 and 83 for a two day total of 166. Smit h finished runner-up in District 17 play to Rickey Ross of Arkansas Tech University. Hav ing won the district championship, the Bisons qualified for the national golf tournament in Ft. Worth, Texas. After the first day of competition the Bisons were tied for 17th place out of the 31 that entered the tournament. Harding shot a team total of 303 . The next day saw' them soar to a team total of 314 and a two day total of 617. The Bi sons fe ll from 17th to 24th place and missed making the cut for the final two rounds. They returned home having learned a valuable lesson in winning and losing. Although the Bisons did not fini sh as the number one team in the NAJA, they did have the District 17 and AlC golf crowns and they had several individual honors. Hubie Smit h won the lowest average in the confe rence as well as being named AIl·AIC and IAll ·District along with Didier Villard. Coach Watkins was named AIC and NAIA District 17 "Coach of the Year. " ~ - Clt ri510pher T/tompSOtr
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