Golf poised to finish on top at Ivy Champs

There is something to be said for the element of surprise. Unfortunately for the Penn golf team, its performance over the last year has taken that weapon away. As the Quaker linksters viewed the last groups put out at Bethpage, N.Y., last year, they vowed to come back the next year and avenge their one-stroke loss in the Ivy League Championships. This Friday and Saturday will provide that chance as they head to Long Island. Played on the Red Course at Bethpage State Park -- the traditional Black Course is closed in preparation for the 2002 U.S. Open -- Penn will compete against all seven Ivy foes in the 54-hole championship. The competition will be split into 36 holes played Friday, with the remaining 18 Saturday. The Red Course gives Penn a slight edge over some of its opponents, as it is a track the Quakers have played often, including this past fall in the St. John's Invite. "We're not going there blind, everyone knows the course, there will not be any surprises," Penn coach Francis Vaughn said. The Quakers' top competition should come from Princeton and Yale. The Tigers, fresh off their victory in the Harvard-Yale-Princeton matches, also defeated Penn by 10 strokes two weeks ago at the Navy Invite. Additionally, history bodes well for the Tigers and Elis, as 24 of the last 25 Ivy titles have gone back to either New Haven or Princeton, with Yale being a two-time defending champion. Penn, however, is not fazed. "The attitude of the team is that we are going to win this," senior captain Adam Bradshaw said. "Last year, it came up on us pretty fast. I'm not sure if we were mentally prepared. "We had a very good second day at the St. John's Invite, shooting three over par as a team. We have the potential to shoot some great numbers." Competing this weekend along with Bradshaw will be junior Kiki Kyrle, sophomore Rob Goldfaden and freshman Kyle Moran. Coach Vaughn will select the fifth Quaker to travel to the championships by Friday afternoon. While the rest of Penn celebrates Fling, the Quaker golf team seems poised to come full circle, and spend another afternoon on the hill -- this time as the victors.