For the second consecutive tournament, an underclassman captured a first place finish in golf.

Competing in the Cornell University Tri-Match this past Sunday, sophomore Jake Katz placed first as the Binghamton University men’s golf team won their second tournament of the year, this time on the Cornell University Golf Course in Ithaca.

The tournament got off to a slow start when the opening tee times were pushed back a few hours due to the freezing conditions that hit the course. But once the Bearcats were able to get onto the Robert Trent Jones-designed course, it was business time.

Katz led the 23-man field with a two under par 34 on the front nine. Sophomore Trevor Fiedler, junior Mike Corbo and senior J.J. Shearer all shot one over par 37 on the front nine as well.

Binghamton really started to pull away from the rest of the three-team field on the back nine. Four of the Bearcats scoring for the team shot under 40 en route to a final team score of 302. The low nine-hole score belonged to Binghamton freshman Steve Armstrong who, playing in his first event, fired a three under par 33 on the back nine. Ironically enough, Armstrong was not a designated team scorer for the Bearcats.

Luckily, it turned out that didn’t matter as the Bearcats finished four strokes better than second place Saint Bonaventure, who finished with a team 306, and eight strokes ahead of host Cornell who finished at 310.

The Tri-match, a one day event scheduled by Cornell as a makeup tournament due to weather cancellations earlier in the season, proved to be very beneficial for Binghamton as all members of the team were able to participate in the tournament.

“It was a good opportunity to take the whole team, get the guys more experience,” said head coach Bernie Herceg.

Individually, Katz captured medalist honors with his even par round of 72, one stroke better than Saint Bonaventure’s William Markey.

“[Katz] played very good, consistent effort,” Herceg said.

Herceg also had encouraging words for Shearer and Corbo, who shot 75 and 78, respectively.

“J.J. played very well, and Corbo should have shot lower, but he missed the approach shot on the 18th hole,” Herceg said.

Junior Patrick Donovan carded a 77, sophomore Andrew Marler shot a 79 and sophomore Mike Lemp, also playing in his first event for the Bearcats this season, shot an 81.

“[The Tri-match was a] good competition going into the last tournament,” Herceg said.

The last tournament of the fall season is the Seascape Collegiate Invitational, hosted by Old Dominion University in Kitty Hawk, N.C.

The tournament runs Oct. 27 and 28.