Kortan, A&M men's golf host Aggie Invitational at Traditions Club

Following a seventh-place finish at the Valspar Collegiate, Texas A&M head men's golf coach Brian Kortan & Co. are preparing to host The Aggie Invitational at Traditions Club this weekend. On Tuesday's edition of TexAgs Live, Kortan discussed what is in store for the Ags.

Key notes from Brian Kortan interview

• I have always been a huge basketball fan. I love good basketball. I wish Buzz Williams and those guys well. I am looking forward to what Bucky McMillan does.
   
• We have made progress this year. We just had our interaction with the donors last week. We have a good group of guys. Last Friday was awesome. We gave out some awards. Now, we are preparing for The Aggie Invitational. There are 36 holes on Saturday and 18 on Sunday. It’s free for anyone who wants to watch great golf.
   
• Things are changing for us. We are continuing to get a lot better. We get better so we can play the best golf. We have a ways to go, but I like the progress we've made.
   
• The depth of our conference, not just for us but every sport, is phenomenal. It's what you sign up for. It's to compete against the best, and the SEC does that. We played in the Southern Highlands, and you cannot hide in those fields. Those guys did a great job, but we are looking for one more score.
   
• We were a handful of shots away from second place in the Valspar Collegiate in a field that was 12 deep with top-25 teams. That speaks to the kind of golf I know we can play. I'm comfortable with where we are. We always want to be great, and we knew going in it was going to be a little bit of a build. They've melted together really well and played around.
   
• Phichaksn Maichon has settled in well. He's good at this. In his last two seasons, he hasn't won a bunch, like Sam Bennett and Chandler Phillips may have, but his golf over this two-year span is one of the top for the Aggies.
   
• Aaron Pounds has had some really good round scores. He had just one round that got away from him, just a hair. But I'm proud of him for sticking to it and taking toeholding like a champ.
   
• I take Masters week a lot differently now. I can watch it, and I know everything that's going on. It brings back memories. That was awesome to have that opportunity. It’s a memory I will never forget, and I don't know if I will ever look at it the same again.
   
• There will be 16 teams this weekend, and you break it to eight in match play. It will be brutal. You have to put your best foot forward. Match play is a different animal. You play two a day in hopes of getting to the final, but you have to have a good stroke play to get there. It's an incredible competition. Our conference is just so stacked and has coaches who have invested a lot of time.
   
• The Aggie Invitational is our home game. We control some of the things, such as the course and how we set it up. Traditions has been a good partner. They've done a really good job. We get one home deal a year. Oklahoma, one of the best teams, is coming. Baylor is who is right down the road. It will be fine to go toe to toe on your home view. I kind of choose between going out there and coaching them, or do I let them play the field they've played a thousand times? I'll be there just to have a conversation while they wait, but we trust our guys. It's a support thing in how we approach the tournament.
   
• Our guys are really good at taking coaching during the recruiting process. That's a part they enjoy a lot. We want to help get there where we need them to go. Maybe we do too much, and sometimes, maybe not enough. But regardless, our hearts are in the right place.
   
• I want them to get good grades. Be predators. Eyes forward and really hunt what's next. This week I want those guys to focus on what's next, which is The Aggie Invitational, and not to get ahead of ourselves. Being hyper-focused on being that competitor.
   
• I'd be remiss if I didn't speak of the other guys. Michael Heidelbaugh has been analyzing, and Wheaton Ennis has been unbelievably sturdy for a young kid. I'm looking forward to having him around for a long time.