Bad weather, tough field hinder M. Golf

The Quakers shot a 917 over three days to place ninth at James Madison. This weekend, Penn men's golf team finished ninth out of 18 teams at the James Madison Invitational in Harrisonburg, Va. The main story of the tournament, however, was the brutal weather. "It was extremely cold and windy," freshman Chad Perman said. "Winds reached 20 to 30 miles per hour with temperature in the high 40s." Unfortunately, nature took its toll on the Quakers. The team finished with a 54-hole total of 917. Penn played 36 holes on Saturday and 18 more on Sunday at the Winter Green Resort. "It was a tough little course," Perman said. "The greens were slick and sloped." In addition to braving the elements, the Quakers faced a field that was extremely keen. The teams competing in the tournament were the top teams in Penn's district. Penn State was the eventual winner of the event. The Nittany Lions actually tied with the University of Richmond, but won a technical tie-break. "We were up against stiff competition," Perman said. "We didn't play as well as we were capable of playing, but we certainly didn't embarrass ourselves." Kyle Moran certainly didn't embarrass himself. He led the squad, shooting 76-75-75 for a three-round total of 226. For freshman Endel Liias, who shot a three-round total of 241, the JMU Invitational was particularly important. It was the first time Liias competed in the top five for the Quakers. "It was a good learning experience," Liias said. "Although we didn't fare so well, we still have a positive outlook. We know we are a lot better." The mindset for the Quakers seems pretty good after a strong fall season. "Our fall season consisted of one terrific tournament and three mediocre ones," Perman said. "We have to be more consistent and dedicated. I do think, though, that we have more in us. Hopefully, these events will lead to success in the spring." "The fall season was solid," Moran said. "Even though we could have ended on a better note, our strong play at times bodes well for the spring, when it really matters." The Quakers will be playing for the Ivy title this spring, as well as a chance to play in the NCAAs.