As the leaves begin their autumn change from green to amber, and the smell of wood on the hearth fills the air, the slow change from summer to fall means just one thing: golf season.
The Binghamton University golf team kicked this season off with a seventh-place finish out of 18 teams at the Missouri Tiger Intercollegiate last weekend. Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York hosted the event on a course that head coach Bernie Herceg considers the toughest course his team will play this season.
The unranked Bearcats overcame harsh windy conditions to keep up with bigger nationally-ranked programs, such as tournament winner Purdue, while trailing sixth-place Kansas University by only one position.
‘I have high expectations for the guys coming off the summer,’ Herceg said of his team, ‘There was great competition this weekend and we definitely held our own.’
Senior co-captain Jake Katz finished in a tie for second place, leading his team with a final score of +5 on the weekend.
‘Jake played awfully, awfully well; he came in second place, but he definitely could’ve won it,’ Herceg said.
Herceg also highlighted sophomore David Cellura and senior Andrew Marler for their solid performances.
‘They had phenomenal summers and play with a lot of confidence,’ he said of his fellow athletes.
He also made specific note of Paul Andrews, a freshman from not far up the road in Corning, N.Y.
‘His and the team’s morale is really good. He had a good first tournament, and hopefully he’ll continue playing well and get on the lineup for the next one.’
Herceg is excited about the upcoming fall tournaments, as well as the spring season. The confidence he has in his athletes is obvious.
‘Every single tournament we are going to is an opportunity to win it,’ he said. ‘We are in a good spot to leave the conference championship with a victory. The sky is the limit.’
The next tournament for the Bearcats is the Rhode Island Adams Cup, scheduled for Sept. 20.