Despite shooting an impressive 616 last Monday and Tuesday at the Northeast Championships in Cape Cod, the men's golf team finished a somewhat disappointing sixth to end its season.
"I was very satisfied with the scores," Coach Bill Johnson said. "I just didn't suspect that everyone would shoot so low. Once again, we were only four shots out of third place, so it was much closer than it appears."
The University of Connecticut and the University of Hartford tied for first place with a remarkable 602 total, while Providence College placed third, 10 shots back.
"We have to play a little smarter," Johnson said. "Everybody needs to be well in the 70s with one or two players getting even hotter than that."
Mackenzie Hurd '98 once again led the Big Green, finishing in a tie for fourth with a two-day score of 147. Hurd was just four shots back from the winner, Brian Ahern from the University of Connecticut.
"Mackenzie's performance was a little disappointing," Johnson said. "The greens were perfect, but he just wasn't reading them as well as he usually does. He just wasn't putting like he can, but he was driving well."
Hurd, who was coming off a first place finish at the East Coast Athletic Conference match the weekend before, was one of the two lowest shooters in the New England League.
"It has been a successful fall season, but a successful building season, too," Johnson said. "I was really happy with how Mackenzie played.
Alec Dicks '95 and Bryan Kim '95 followed Hurd, each shooting a 156, while Steve Sugarman '97 came in just one shot behind at 157.
Replacing the injured Jay Danzi '98, Jay Lavender '97 rounded off the strong Dartmouth squad shooting a 179. Come spring, these six players will be instrumental in the men's golf program.
"I feel that this team is right on the verge of shooting consistently low and will be ready when the spring comes," Johnson said.
