Candela is top finisher for Tigers

With their sights set on winning the Georgetown Hoya Invitational this past Saturday and Sunday, the men's golf team found itself unable to cope with windy conditions and a lengthy golf course, ultimately finishing ninth out of 12 teams in its final tournament this fall.

For the Tigers, the fall has borne a trend of mid to high finishes, leaving bitter tastes lingering in the mouths of team members as they begin practice and preparation during the off-season.

Furthermore, the Tigers' poor play has likely prevented them from qualifying for the NCAA National Tournament through the Mid-Atlantic District points system — the District in which the Tigers compete. Instead, they'll have to qualify under the only alternate method, winning the Ivy League Tournament in late May — a route historically taken by most past men's team when they've reached nationals.

This weekend's competition was not of the same caliber as last week's, when the Tigers squared off against top West Coast teams in California at the Prestige Tournament. Nevertheless, Mid-Atlantic competitors William & Mary, Georgetown, Towson and Penn State highlighted a solid field.

Freshman Juan Pablo Candela provided the largest glimmer of hope for the Tigers as they began play on Saturday. He eagled his first hole, a 536-yard par-five, which helped to propel him to a three-over-par 74, leaving him in seventh place. Yet the rest of the team suffered from a slow start.

"[We] had to grind the rest of the way, which [was] frustrating," said senior co-captain Brent Herlihy.

Herlihy grinded the best of anyone, making several birdies en route to 75. But by Saturday afternoon, the Tigers were tied for ninth place, nine shots off leader William & Mary.

On Sunday the Tigers faced windy conditions and, as a team, fared only a stroke better. The physical landscape of Four Streams Golf Club had much to do with this.

"[The course] featured native grasses outside the rough, which was essentially a lost ball if you hit it in there," senior co-captain John Sawin said. "Such a hazard made tee shots particularly demanding in the windy conditions."

Candela and Sawin managed the conditions best and both carded 76, yet this was more than anything an indication of the team's poor play. The Tigers' 308-307 two-day score averaged 10 strokes higher than where they'd ideally like to be on a given day.

Yet this is a reflection on the youth of the Tiger's squad. Four freshmen have had to quickly replace three well-seasoned seniors from last year. After Herlihy and Sawin, next eldest on the team are a pair of sophomores, Drew Maliniak and Max Schecter.

"It's a shame the fall season is over," said Herlihy. "We must use our play this fall as a motivating force to work in our indoor practice facility all winter so that we can come out firing in the spring. It's a must if we are to be successful."