Golf kicks off season

The Penn men's golf team kicked off its Ivy title defense this past week as the Quakers spent their spring break in sunny south Florida. The trip presented the Quakers with an opportunity to finally get outdoors and try out the practice-facility swings they have been honing indoors since the fall. In addition to all their fun in the sun, the Quakers actually competed in a 36-hole event in West Palm Beach. Competing for the first time this spring in the Northwood Invitational at the West Palm Beach Country Club, the Quakers played well considering that most of the competition had the advantage of warmer climates and opportunities to play all winter long. Leading the way for Penn was senior captain Brian Owens, who posted rounds of 74 and 81. He was followed by sophomore Kyle Moran, who shot 76-80. Also competing in Penn's five-man squad were sophomore Jon Barad and freshmen Trey Best and Tom Bushey. While Penn expected to be at a slight disadvantage in Florida, the Quakers are confident that they are on track to defend their title. "We now know what we need to work on to prepare for our Ivy title defense," Penn head coach Francis Vaughn said. The Quakers took advantage of their first tournament of the year to utilize some new faces in West Palm Beach. "We changed the lineup around to give everyone an opportunity," Moran said. "We all came into the trip a little rusty. We struggled with our own games but put in a lot of hard work and are hopefully on the right track." The trip also allowed the team to bond in a relaxed atmosphere. "The weather was great, we all worked very hard and the trip was a terrific success in general," Moran said. "We are hoping for a strong showing at Navy, but our main focus is always the Ivy Championships." "I think the spring trip really showed the depth the Penn golf team has for the spring," Owens said. "We have five or six players that are capable of shooting 75 or better on any given day." With the Florida sun behind them, the Quakers are back at work as they set their sights on Penn's next tournament, the Navy Invitational, which will be played April 11-13 in Annapolis, Md.