All spring long, the men's golf team has worked to prepare for this final weekend. The Quakers have had an up and down season, but they have kept their eyes set on the tournament that truly matters: the Ivy League Championships.
The two-day event will take place this weekend at the par-72, 6,900-yard Galloway National Golf Club in Absecon, N.J. The forecast calls for sun, and good thing, too, because the course itself is enough to worry about.
"I know the golf course and it always plays tough," freshman Kevin Huntington said. "You really need to keep your ball in play off the tee, and putting is key. The greens are quick and undulating and hazards are everywhere."
"This will probably be the most difficult golf course we've played all spring," assistant coach Chad Perman added. "It's in the same league as the Notre Dame course two weeks ago. There's not a lot of room for mistakes."
If the Quakers want to defend their Ivy League title, they will have to do so with a team that features many players who had no part in the last year's triumph. Mike Blodgett and captain Dean Merrill will be joined by new-comers Huntington, junior Brett Rendina and senior Michael Kornheiser.
Penn's top 2007 finisher, Chance Pipitone, transferred to Duke over the summer, while Nick Ryder and Sean Barrett are no longer with the squad.
For most of the spring, Blodgett and Huntington have led the way for the Quakers. However, for the team to win its third Ancient Eight crown, it will need steady play from all five competitors.
"I don't think there's pressure on any one golfer," Perman said. "We all have the games to go out and play well. We played okay at Princeton last week, but after a good week of practice I think we're ready to put it all together this weekend."
While Perman declined to give the other seven schools any bulletin board material, it was clear that the team has its eyes on a repeat.
"We go to every tournament expecting to win," he said. "Our guys' views are that we're the champions until somebody takes it from us."
