On April 12 and April 13, the team traveled to Mohegan Sun Country Club in Baltic, Conn. for the New England Division I Golf Championships. In the 36-hole event, the squad finished in sixth place out of 10 teams.
Senior co-captain Brandon Nolan led the way, recording a 74 on Saturday and a 75 on Sunday to finish in a tie for 13. Jeff Hogan finished in a tie for 20, registering a cumulative eight-over-par in the two rounds of competition.
Senior Brian Engstrom finished in a tie for 29 in the 50-player field, while Drew Dufresne was just three strokes back. Ben Alcorn, a Chatham, N.J. native, carded a 79 and an 81.
The following week, the team competed in the one-day 36-hole Yale Spring Invitational in New Haven, Conn. Nolan again led the way for the Rams, finishing in a tie for 24th after shooting 13-over-par.
Dufresne and freshman Fernando Morett each finished the day at 15-over-par, and ended in a tie for 30th. Hogan, who recorded an 80 and a 70, completed the tournament in a tie for 37th place. Alcorn and Engstrom rounded out the team, shooting 26-over-par and 27-over-par respectively. Overall, the squad finished in eighth place out of 11teams.
The final tournament of the season was the Atlantic 10 Golf Championships. The tournament took place from Friday, April 25, until Sunday, April 27, at TPC Tampa Bay in Lutz, Fla.
After three days and 54 holes of competition, the Rams finished in ninth place out of 10 teams. Hogan and Nolan led the way for the team in the most anticipated tournament of the season. Nolan carded the lowest round of a Fordham player in the championship with a first round 76, and finished the tournament at 26-over-par. Hogan recorded scores of 79, 82 and 78, and both players finished in a tie for 34.
Alcorn finished in a tie for 39, shooting 28-over par, while Engstrom recorded a cumulative three-round score of 38-over-par. Dufresne finished in a tie for 47.
“I don’t think anything in particular held the team back in the last few tournaments,” said Hogan. “It’s always tougher to play during the spring season, because the courses are in premature shape and so is your game. The warm conditions definitely played a factor down the stretch with the loss of energy and hydration.”
Fordham’s team will return home for the summer and attempt to take part in as many competitive tournaments as possible to hone its skills and to avoid developing bad habits.
Dufresne stressed the little things. “I think we all know that around the greens is where we leave the most shots out there,” said Dufresne. “As the summer comes along, we will focus hard to practice the little things and try to get rid of the little mistakes that cost us important shots.”
The squad will resume competition in the fall. Of the steady five-member team, Hogan, Alcorn, Dufresne and Engstrom are expected to return.
