Golf rebounds in fall season finale at Lehigh

Two weeks ago the Penn golf team got a reality check. Coming off a par-70 team-record score of 283 at the St. John's Invitational, the Quakers competed in the Robert Morris Colonial Classic at Montour Heights Country Club in Moon Township, Pa., with high expectations. They were, to say the least, disheartened by their fourth-place finish. Playing a difficult, hilly course, the Penn golfers did not bring their best stuff to Robert Morris, posting a two-day score of 624 (307-317), well over the team's 600 barometer. After the subpar outing, coach Francis Vaughn downplayed comparing his team's scores to other teams' scores. "Francis made a point to get our minds off how our fall was going," Penn captain Adam Bradshaw said. "Our mindset going into [the Lehigh Invitational] was shooting our best and not worrying about where we scored in the district." Down, but certainly not out, the Quakers rebounded last weekend with their second tournament title at the Lehigh Invitational. Rob Goldfaden, who took the individual title with a 146 (76-70), said, "We'd been doing so well up to that point, we couldn't get down [on ourselves]." Goldfaden, whose previous best had been a third-place finish at St. John's, started his tournament play slowly, four-putting the first hole for a double bogey. He regained his composure and finished the first day with a 76, leaving him in position to make a run at the leaders. On Sunday he came out blazing, shooting a two under par 70 to take the tournament by one stroke. Goldfaden credited Vaughn for his turnaround. "[Vaughn] spent three hours working with me after the first round," Goldfaden said. "He told me to finish my shots and not to let up on any swing." Despite his individual success, Goldfaden placed the emphasis on the team's win. He said, "It made me happier that the team won; that was perfect." Still, his teammates were quick to sing the praise of the sophomore, who, as a freshman, was an All-Ivy selection and whose scores have steadily improved throughout the fall season, from a 27th-place finish at the Army Invitational to last weekend's win. "Goldy has been the player of the fall," Bradshaw said. "He's a unique competitor with a unique swing, a team player, and a very talented golfer." Goldfaden himself cited experience, especially on regional courses, as a major factor in his growth as a golfer. "I've matured a lot. Last year I was getting used to college and playing golf on a college level," Goldfaden said. "Golf in the Northeast is more difficult than anywhere else in the country." The triumph at Lehigh ended Penn's fall golf season on a high note. The win gives the Quakers a big swing of momentum and a boost of confidence after the shaky performance at Robert Morris. "[Finishing strong] leaves a good taste in your mouth," Owens said. The Red and Blue defeated Ivy rivals Princeton, Cornell and Columbia, as well as district contender St. John's at Lehigh, which bodes well for both their chances at an Ivy title and at a spot in the NCAA regional tournament this spring. The Quakers will use their time off in the winter to hit plenty of balls, to work out and to prepare mentally for the spring season.

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