The NESCAC celebrated its 50th anniversary as the Men’s Golf Championship kicked off this weekend at the Ledges Country Club in South Hadley, Massachusetts. For the eight out of 11 participating NESCAC schools, the competition offers a chance to earn the first trophy in nearly two years.
Tufts claimed a narrow lead through the opening 18 holes on Sunday, hitting a cumulative 300 strokes for a score of 12 over par. Trinity sits in second — just one stroke back of the leaders — while Middlebury is in third with 303 strokes. The Panthers have a healthy lead over the rest of the field, with fourth-place Hamilton 10 strokes back. Incumbent champions Williams are in fifth place after the opening weekend, with Wesleyan, Bates and Amherst rounding out the rear.
Jordan Bessalel ’21 led the Panthers in the first day of competition, currently tied for second overall by matching par. Meanwhile, Hogan Beazley ’23 sits fifth overall through the first round.
“We put ourselves in a good position for the final round next weekend,” Bessalel said. “We are excited for the opportunity to chase down the teams ahead of us.”
Although the team was hoping to post slightly lower scores through the opening round, Bessalel praised his team for their concentration and strong mentality: “The guys did a great job of grinding out every single shot.”
Colin McCaigue ’24 continued a strong start to his Middlebury career with a 76, with John Mikus ’21 scoring an 80 and Porter Bowman ’21.5 tallying a 90. The conference championship resumes next weekend on Sunday, May 2, at the same location.
Editor’s Note: Porter Bowman ’21.5 is the senior opinion editor for The Campus.
Review: Men's golf
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