Golf teams on fire at the Ralph Myhre

Author: Steve Hauschka

Last week, the men's golf team was training. They were not hitting balls at the range, not practicing on the course, but rather conditioning in a timed two-mile run. It seems that this fitness has bolstered the team's success as they took home fourth place in last weekend's Duke Nelson Tournament. Many of the top teams in the region attended the tournament held annually at Midd's Ralph Myhre Golf Course.

On the first day of the competition, the Panthers fired four solid rounds in the upper 70s, amassing 309 shots as a team. Powerhouse Skidmore put on a show with a first day total of 291, leading second place New York University by five strokes.

The real magic for the Panthers came on Sunday when the team went low. Harrison Bane '08.5 shot a 73 on the difficult course and Chad Bellmare '07 tied a tournament record with a two-under-par 69. Collectively, the Panthers shot a 296 on Sunday. For the first time in four years the team shot under 300. Bellmare led the team with a two-day 148, followed by Bane with a 150, Mike McCormick '09 with 154, George Baumann '08 with 155 and Jay Yonamine '07 with a 157. Despite Sunday's phenomenal play, the Panthers' two-day total of 605 was not enough to catch Skidmore (591), NYU (593) and Salem State (597). However, Middlebury beat league rivals Williams, Amherst and Hamilton.

Bellmare remarked that Sunday "felt just like a normal round. Playing that well it goes by really quickly." When asked how this compared to his career highlights, he replied, "it wasn't my best ever, but it was the first time I finished strong in a college tournament."

Through 13 holes (6-18), Bellmare was even par. He then managed to eagle the par five first hole and was "all of a sudden two under with four to play. I played solid the rest of the round and finished with a 69. It was a battle all the way."

Of even greater importance was the team's combined score on Sunday of 296. Bellmare said, "It was a big accomplishment, especially with this group of guys. It sets a new standard since the team is pretty young."

The next two weeks are huge for the men as they travel to Williams and then Bowdoin for the NESCAC championship. As part of a new format this year, the winner of the NESCAC championship will receive an automatic bid to the national NCAA Division III tournament.

Not to be outdone were the Middlebury women, who hosted their own tournament and once again dominated the competition. After last weekend's impressive victory at the St. Lawrence Invitational, where they won by 47 shots, the women's team looked to continue their success in the Middlebury Invitational. The first round was played at Ralph Myhre Golf Course and the second round at nearby Neshobe Golf Course in Brandon, VT due to the men's team hosting the Duke Nelson Invitational.

Despite playing two different courses, the women won the Middlebury Invitational handily, beating second place Williams by 25 strokes. Each Panther placed in the top six overall. Anne O'Leary of Williams College captured medalist honors after beating Karen Levin '08 in a playoff, while Julie Ellenberger '09 and Heather Gallagher '07 tied for second. The Ortega twins, Allison '07 and Kerry '07 rounded out the top six.

Based on the stellar results of the past two tournaments, there is no doubt that the Panther women are one of the top ten teams in the nation. Coach Bill Beaney's squad looks to continue their dominance next weekend when they travel to Mt. Holyoke to play at The Orchards Golf Club, host to the 2004 U.S. Women's Open. Competition will be stiff, as several D-I teams are set to compete.