Golf team sweeps through first week

The golf season began with a bang this week, as the Jumbos swept through the WPI Invitational to pick up an important win. Led by its top three golfers strong performances, the squad posted a collective score of 304.

In collegiate team golf, the lowest four out of the five competing golfers in each round combine to sum up the team score. The squad averaged an impressive 76.

The number one golfer, senior co-captain Elliot Barr, scored a 76, while the number two, junior Brad Hawes, led the team with a 72, to clinch the individual title. At the number three spot, freshman newcomer Dan Weinbeck achieved a promising 76. Senior co-captain Dan Kramer and senior Arun Lambda rounded out the scores with an 84 and 80 respectively.

"My 84 was a score that we were happy to drop, which shows the difference (from last year)" Kramer said.

The Jumbos won by ten shots over second-place Trinity. Although a smaller tournament, they also defeated host WPI and Worcester State College.

"I think it's our first tournament win in four or five years," Hawes said.

Tufts' impressive roster includes Barr, a former number-one player who studied abroad in Spain last year; last year's number one player Hawes; and newcomer Weinbeck.

Wednesday, however, belonged to Hawes, who stayed just a shot over par to take the top spot at the tournament. As a number-two player who took the top spot, Hawes' performance shows the depth of the Tufts squad.

"The team is really good this year," Hawes said. "We only lost one senior who used to play in the fifth spot."

The Tufts squad has amassed both raw talent and considerable experience. Although Hawes called Tufts' performance in the NESCAC in recent years "kind of average," he feels that the Jumbos can contend for the NESCAC title.

Already this season, Tufts has shown its depth. En route to an unofficial second place finish at the Bowdoin Invitational last Sunday, Tufts defeated fellow NESCAC schools Bates, Bowdoin and Colby. The results of the tournament were unofficial, as the heavy rains forced the cancellation of the event. With its defeat of Trinity on Wednesday, Tufts has defeated all four of the NESCAC teams that it has faced.

"I wish they (other NESCAC schools) had been there," Kramer said. "They will be surprised."

The tryouts last week produced some remarkable numbers as well. The highest average to make the team was an 83 and the lowest a 73 during the four-day tryout. Many of the newcomers impressed the veterans on the team.

"Besides the six who've already played, we have many other guys who can perform," Kramer said

With a 73 average during tryouts, Weinbeck secured the number three spot on the team for the WPI Invitational. After an 86 in his first round of collegiate golf Bowdoin Invitational, Weinbeck settled down and dropped ten strokes at WPI.

"He's good enough to lead and win tournaments," Kramer said. "His talent is there. He has a very solid overall game."

If the first two outings of the year are any indication, the prospects for the year are good.

"I expected this," Kramer said. "I'm not surprised. This is what people should expect from us."

Already in the first tournament, the team has surpassed expectations.

"In the past we've had one or two [players] in the seventies," coach Bob Sheldon. "Now we have the potential to get all five. That's how you win the tournaments."

The team nearly reached that goal this week, with only one score counted in the 80s