Men's Golf Preview: The Boys are Back in Town

To begin the fall season, the men’s golf team will defend its own turf on September 15 and 16 as they host the Duke Nelson Invitational at the Ralph Myhre Golf Course in Middlebury. Other colleges competing include NESCAC rivals such as Amherst, Trinity and Williams as well as out-of-conference teams like Babson and Western New England.

The Panthers hope to improve upon their performance from last year when they finished 9th. The team shot 601 that weekend, 29 points shy from first place Babson’s 572. While the blue and white’s top scorer for that tournament, Joe Ko ‘18, has since graduated, they will be supported by a trio of senior captains who are currently studying abroad.

One of the captains, Philippe Morin ‘19, has been eagerly anticipating the start of the season. “The team has been grinding all summer. We need to be the best,” said Morin. “Our goal is to have depth and competition to see who is playing well and can take us to a successful year. I have great pride in our team and their dedication, [and especially in] their efforts.“ Last spring, Morin finished 32nd and 17th at the Westport Hampton Inn and Williams Spring Invitationals, respectively.

The other golf captains, Reid Buzby ‘19, and David McDaniel ‘19, should be able to contribute their invaluable experience and leadership, not just at the Duke Nelson Invitational, but for the remainder of the season. Hopefully they can build upon their solid performances from last season. Buzby was tied for 8th at Westport Hampton, and tied for 17th at Williams. McDaniel didn’t compete at Westport Hampton but tied for 10th place at Williams.

Another golfer looking to carry the team this weekend is sophomore Jordan Bessalel, who tied for 14th and 4th at Hampton and Williams, respectively. Jeffrey Giguere ‘20, who placed 1st at Williams and 2nd at the NESCAC Championship, will not playing this semester due to study abroad. Despite Giguere’s absence, the Panthers are a strong contender to qualify for the NESCAC Championship.