While Princeton may have looked like a country club this weekend thanks to lawnparties, it was the women's golf team that actually found itself on the links.
Spending the weekend at the Hanover Country Club for the Dartmouth Invitational, the women returned to Princeton with a first place win and team-record low of 299 and 300 for two rounds. With three of the top four individual scorers, including one tournament medalist, junior captain Avery Kiser, the Tigers are poised for a record-breaking season.
The Tigers won the overall team crown easily with a combined score of 599. Boston College was second with a 626 and St. John's came in with a 641, just ahead of tournament host and Ivy League competitor Dartmouth.
Kiser, who led the team and the tournament with a 73-71, continued her Ivy League dominance at Dartmouth, adding another medal to a list of awards which includes two individual Ivy League championships and two Eastern College Athletic Conference championships.
"It was a great way to start the season, as we posted our lowest 36-hole team round ever," Kiser said. "After having just got on campus and with uncooperative weather, I definitely can't complain."
With little question as to her dominance within the Ivy League, Kiser was quick to note that this weekend's foes could offer no better. "As far as their teams went, there was no competition," Kiser said.
While other teams within the Ivy League have failed to produce a true competitor for Kiser, one very well may have emerged this weekend with the second-place finish of freshman Sharla Cloutier. Cloutier, who posted a 74-73 for a second-place finish, arrived on campus only a few weeks ago from Niceville, Fla. With only two practices as a Tiger under her belt, she ended her first day at Hanover standing fifth overall.
Unfazed by this new competition, Kiser had nothing but praise for her fellow golfer.
"A huge part of this weekend's tournament was the awesome play of Sharla [Cloutier]," Kiser said. "She really proved that she could handle the pressure and keep herself focused regardless of weather or a few bad holes. Her play really helped the team finish strong."
Cloutier's success came as no surprise to head coach Eric Stein.
"Coming through the ranks of amateur golf, Sharla is tournament tough and tested," Stein said.
Stein also spoke of Princeton's creation of team goals prior to its first match.
One such goal was a consistent team average of 304. In the past, Kiser's dominance has not always been enough to make up for the inconsistency of the rest of the team. This year, with a strong recruiting class and what Stein dubbed "giant improvements" in all of his athletes, the Tigers should be more consistent.
The Princeton squad posted two scores in addition to Kiser's and Cloutier's — junior Meg Nakamura with a 76-75 and senior Esty Dwek with a 76-81. Nakamura finished tied for fourth overall.
Cloutier, who led her high school to a 20-0 regular season finish with medalist honors in both districts and regionals, was a dominant force in the junior golf circuit in Florida. Having finished third in the state, she is no novice to success. Still, she insists she has significant room for improvement.
Cloutier shot par on Sunday to finish second overall, three behind Kiser and one over for the whole tournament. It was only on her last hole at Hanover this weekend that any room for improvement was evident. Coming into 18 poised for her first championship as a Tiger, Cloutier pulled her drive left, chunked her second shot and was forced to chip off the rocks. Her errors were compounded by two putts to leave her with a double bogey, only slightly marring the scorecard of her impressive debut. Still, she left the course in justifiably high spirits.
"We are really going to kick some butt this year!" Cloutier said.
With the Princeton Invitational in two weeks, it looks like the team certainly may be on its way to a butt-kicking year.
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