For now, the Penn men's golf team is done until spring. But it took a fight through wind, rain and injury to close out the fall season.
With a score of 929 - 77 over par - the Quakers finished sixth out of 15 teams at the Columbia Invitational in Galloway, N.J., this weekend. They finished above the other two Ivy competitors, Columbia (11th place) and Princeton (12th), but 35 strokes behind first-place Texas Christian.
The Red and Blue held their own against some tough competition, like ninth-place Kennesaw State, which coach Scott Allen called a "golf factory."
"I joked with the guys that people go to Kennesaw State because they think they're going to have a better chance to develop their golf game," Allen said. "Not only do we beat them in the classroom on a regular basis, but we proved we can beat them on the golf course too today."
Senior captain Michael Blodgett was the team's best player, despite a pinched nerve in his neck. Blodgett, who set the course record at Galloway last year during the Ivy Championships and who did not return phone calls seeking comment, finished tied for fourth with a 12-over 211.
"Even playing through this injury, he proved that he can be one of the top players in the region and maybe even in the country," Allen said.
Freshman Scotty Williams finished 22nd, sophomore Kevin Huntington and senior Brett Rendina finished tied for 35th and freshman Dillon Hakes' 35-over 248 was good enough for 63rd. Sophomore Ross Merrill competed as an individual, but his final score did not affect that of his team.
Galloway is near the shore, allowing the temperature and precipitation to affect play. Yet the recent inclement weather in Philadelphia prepared the Quakers and gave them the chance to "work on their wind game a little bit," Allen said.
Despite the similarities with Penn's home - the Philadelphia Cricket Club's Militia Hill - Galloway has plenty of its own tricks.
"I think the guys did a really good approaching this golf course intelligently," Allen said. "It was a bit of a test not just of your golf skills but of your patience and your endurance, and I think we went in with the right mindset."
