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Iowa State University Athletics
Fernandez And Daley Transform Iowa State Golf
05.06.2015 | Men's Golf
AMES, Iowa – Nobody did it better. Such is the case for Iowa State senior golfers Scott Fernandez and Sam Daley.
As their incredible Iowa State careers are coming to a close, it's time to reflect on their unprecedented accomplishments.
Three NCAA Regional appearances. The school's first NCAA Championship berth in 61 years. Multiple tournament victories. Annual top-50 national rankings. Back-to-back upper-half finishes at the Big 12 Championship. These are just a few highlights this fabulous duo helped the Cyclones attain.
Iowa State head men's golf coach Andrew Tank knew he was getting talented players in Fernandez and Daley when they arrived in Ames in the Fall of 2011. The pair exceeded his expectations.
“They (Fernandez and Daley) have meant so much to us over the last four years,” Tank said. “From where the program was when they first got here to where they are leaving it is a dramatic change. It's a testament to both of them and the work they have put in. The passion they brought to Iowa State golf has been special. I hope they will be able to look back and see that they were the driving force that turned us around.”
Fernandez, a native of Granada, Spain, wasted little time showing he belonged on the national stage in collegiate golf, winning his first career title in his second tournament as a collegian. He broke ISU's freshman scoring mark (73.18) and helped lead the Cyclones to their first NCAA Regional berth in 13 years in 2012.
The following year, Fernandez became the first All-American in school history in 2013 when he was named to the second-team All-American lists by both Golfweek and Ping. He tallied single-season school records in both stroke average (71.27) and top-10 finishes (8) while earning First-Team All-Big 12 and Iowa State Male Athlete of the Year honors. He also represented Europe in the prestigious Palmer Cup in the summer of 2013.
In 2014, Fernandez racked up seven top-10 finishes to pace Iowa State to its first NCAA Championship berth since 1953.
He continues his top-notch play in his senior season (2015) where he once again is the team leader in stroke average (71.70) and top-10 finishes (8), including a pair of individual tournament victories. He is ranked in the top-100 nationally, where he has resided in each of the last three seasons.
It will be hard to put in proper perspective Fernandez' career at Iowa State when it's over. Fernandez will graduate with career school records in the following categories: stroke average (72.05), top-10 finishes (29) and tournament victories (4). He will end his career playing in four NCAA postseason tournaments, joining Cyclone great Jason Knutzon as the only two Cyclones to achieve the feat.
“I knew I was making the right decision,” Fernandez said about coming to Iowa State. “Coach Tank is a great coach and a great leader. I am really happy to earn my degree at Iowa State.”
“I knew he (Fernandez) was going to be a good player,” Tank said. “But I didn't expect he was going to be as good as he turned out to be. He's finished in the top-10 more than he hasn't finished in the top-10 in all of his career tournaments. He's raised the bar for everybody. A lot of his records could last for a long time.”
A native of Wynnum, Australia, Daley can boast one of the best careers in school history as well.
As a junior in 2014, Daley posted the seventh-best season stroke average in school history at 72.46. His play at the end the season was instrumental in ISU's surge into history.
He was the runner-up medalist at the 2014 Big 12 Championships, the best finish ever by a Cyclone in the Big 12 meet, and he fired a final-round 66 at the NCAA Columbia Regional to help the Cyclones secure their first NCAA Championship appearance since 1953. He was ISU's top-finisher at the national meet, tying for 55th with rounds of 69-71-74.
Daley is wrapping up his Cyclone career on a tear. He's earned runner-up medalist honors in two of his last four tournaments and recorded scores in the 60s in five of his last 13 rounds.
“We've been working really hard in the last month and set some high goals for the team during the season,” Daley said. “It's gone quick, but I have enjoyed every second of it.”
The pair formed a strong bond in their four years together. It's a bond that helped push each other along the way.
“He's (Fernandez) a phenomenal golfer. One of the best amateur golfers I've seen in quite a long time,” Daley said about his friend. “To be a part of his career here, to be a good friend of his, and just to see him mature as a golfer and a person has been fantastic.”
Thank you for being Cyclones, Scott and Sam!
As their incredible Iowa State careers are coming to a close, it's time to reflect on their unprecedented accomplishments.
Three NCAA Regional appearances. The school's first NCAA Championship berth in 61 years. Multiple tournament victories. Annual top-50 national rankings. Back-to-back upper-half finishes at the Big 12 Championship. These are just a few highlights this fabulous duo helped the Cyclones attain.
Iowa State head men's golf coach Andrew Tank knew he was getting talented players in Fernandez and Daley when they arrived in Ames in the Fall of 2011. The pair exceeded his expectations.
“They (Fernandez and Daley) have meant so much to us over the last four years,” Tank said. “From where the program was when they first got here to where they are leaving it is a dramatic change. It's a testament to both of them and the work they have put in. The passion they brought to Iowa State golf has been special. I hope they will be able to look back and see that they were the driving force that turned us around.”
Fernandez, a native of Granada, Spain, wasted little time showing he belonged on the national stage in collegiate golf, winning his first career title in his second tournament as a collegian. He broke ISU's freshman scoring mark (73.18) and helped lead the Cyclones to their first NCAA Regional berth in 13 years in 2012.
The following year, Fernandez became the first All-American in school history in 2013 when he was named to the second-team All-American lists by both Golfweek and Ping. He tallied single-season school records in both stroke average (71.27) and top-10 finishes (8) while earning First-Team All-Big 12 and Iowa State Male Athlete of the Year honors. He also represented Europe in the prestigious Palmer Cup in the summer of 2013.
In 2014, Fernandez racked up seven top-10 finishes to pace Iowa State to its first NCAA Championship berth since 1953.
He continues his top-notch play in his senior season (2015) where he once again is the team leader in stroke average (71.70) and top-10 finishes (8), including a pair of individual tournament victories. He is ranked in the top-100 nationally, where he has resided in each of the last three seasons.
It will be hard to put in proper perspective Fernandez' career at Iowa State when it's over. Fernandez will graduate with career school records in the following categories: stroke average (72.05), top-10 finishes (29) and tournament victories (4). He will end his career playing in four NCAA postseason tournaments, joining Cyclone great Jason Knutzon as the only two Cyclones to achieve the feat.
“I knew I was making the right decision,” Fernandez said about coming to Iowa State. “Coach Tank is a great coach and a great leader. I am really happy to earn my degree at Iowa State.”
“I knew he (Fernandez) was going to be a good player,” Tank said. “But I didn't expect he was going to be as good as he turned out to be. He's finished in the top-10 more than he hasn't finished in the top-10 in all of his career tournaments. He's raised the bar for everybody. A lot of his records could last for a long time.”
A native of Wynnum, Australia, Daley can boast one of the best careers in school history as well.
As a junior in 2014, Daley posted the seventh-best season stroke average in school history at 72.46. His play at the end the season was instrumental in ISU's surge into history.
He was the runner-up medalist at the 2014 Big 12 Championships, the best finish ever by a Cyclone in the Big 12 meet, and he fired a final-round 66 at the NCAA Columbia Regional to help the Cyclones secure their first NCAA Championship appearance since 1953. He was ISU's top-finisher at the national meet, tying for 55th with rounds of 69-71-74.
Daley is wrapping up his Cyclone career on a tear. He's earned runner-up medalist honors in two of his last four tournaments and recorded scores in the 60s in five of his last 13 rounds.
“We've been working really hard in the last month and set some high goals for the team during the season,” Daley said. “It's gone quick, but I have enjoyed every second of it.”
The pair formed a strong bond in their four years together. It's a bond that helped push each other along the way.
“He's (Fernandez) a phenomenal golfer. One of the best amateur golfers I've seen in quite a long time,” Daley said about his friend. “To be a part of his career here, to be a good friend of his, and just to see him mature as a golfer and a person has been fantastic.”
Thank you for being Cyclones, Scott and Sam!
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