Weather has played a major role nearly every time Binghamton University’s men’s golf team has stepped onto the green.
Playing in their first Philadelphia Big 5 Invitational this past weekend, the Bearcats gave a strong team performance, ending up with a middle-of-the-pack eighth place finish out of 15 teams. But sophomore Jake Katz stole the show, carding back-to-back rounds of 71 to grab a share of the individual title.
The Bearcats enjoyed nearly ideal golfing conditions on the immaculate Wissahickon Course, a change from previous tournaments this season.
“The course was a pleasure to play on … a treat to play,” said BU head coach Bernie Herceg.
Katz led the Bearcats’ round of even par 71, while sophomores Mike Corbo and Andrew Marler shot 74 and 78, respectively. But the Bearcats’ inexperience on the Tillinghast course showed as they finished with a first round team score of 304, 14 strokes off the pace of the leader, Seton Hall University.
The second and final day of the tournament proved to be better to the Bearcats as four players shot in the 70s, led again by Katz’s even par 71 and junior Patrick Donovan, who improved his score by eight strokes from the first day to finish with a three over par 74. Corbo finished with a round of 75 and senior J.J. Shearer fired a round of 78.
The team improved their score by six strokes from the first day to finish with a 298 for the day, 602 for the weekend, 15 strokes behind champion and Big 5 member Temple University.
Individually, Katz’s two-day total of 142 tied him for first and put him in a playoff with Villanova’s Brendan Kelly. Kelly ended up winning the playoff and medalist honors, but Katz’s performance was still impressive.
“[Katz has been our] most solid player throughout the fall,” Herceg said.
Herceg said Katz’s performance in the Big 5 has been consistent.
“He scored well, he made some putts down the stretch, he kept his head,” he said.
Katz’s play on the greens kept him at the top of the leader board at the Big 5 Invitational, averaging a stellar 33 putts per round.
Corbo also performed very well; his weekend total of 149 put him in 17th place, but to Herceg, it could have been much better.
“He had some real good opportunities to score well, but he had some bad breaks,” Herceg said.
This weekend the Bearcats are back in action up in Ithaca at the Cornell Invitational.
Tee-off is set for 8 a.m. on Oct. 19.