After a rough start to the spring season, the Cornell golf team responded with an improved showing at the Princeton Invitational this weekend, their second tournament of the season. Cornell finished tenth in a 14-team field, shooting a combined +59 in the three round tournament. Yale placed first with a combined score of +16, while host Princeton came in third with a combined +19.
Despite still finishing in the bottom half of the teams, the Red showed serious improvement from last weekend, when the squad finished last in a 13-team field, according to junior tri-captain Carl Schimenti.
“This weekend was definitely an improvement; most of us were able to shoot a couple good scores this week,” Schimenti said. “I think the big key for us is to play some more competitive rounds this spring and get used to playing under tournament conditions.”
Schimenti led the team, shooting a combined +11, which was tied for 24th in the tournament. In the second round, Schimenti broke par, carding a one-under 70. Junior Zach Bosse started off the weekend with a very promising two-under 69, but had a rough third round, including a sextuple-bogey 10 on the 16th hole, a par-4. He finished the tournament +14, tied for 36th overall. Freshman Brandon Eng also had a solid weekend, finishing tied for 48th with a combined +18.
“Zach Bosse played really well on the first day and really well the last day except for two holes,” Schimenti said. “Brandon Eng played well for the first and third rounds, and Craig played well for two rounds as well, so all of us are getting there. Right now, we can’t put it all together, but we’re showing some signs of improvement right now.”
The biggest area of weakness for the team at the moment is its short game, especially its putting, according to Schimenti.
“I still think a lot [of] our short game — putting mostly — [gave] a lot of us trouble this week,” Schimenti said. “The greens [at Princeton] are very nice and we really haven’t practiced on greens that nice, so it was tricky for us to make putts. The [local] course opened last week, so we’ll be able to practice more of that now, so we should improve in that area. In terms of hitting the ball, most of us got that down; it’s really about reps in the short game.”
Looking ahead to next week, the team will play in the Yale Spring Invitational held at the Century Country Club in Purchase, N.Y. The team is familiar with the course and believes it will play to the golfers’ strengths, according to Schimenti.
“The course [next week] fits our game; it’s a little longer a little more wide open, so we’ll be able to take advantage of our length there,” Schimenti said. “All of us have played it before except Brandon [Eng], but I think he’ll figure it out pretty easily. It’s a really nice course and we should be in great shape and we’re excited to go down there.”
Although the team has just played two tournaments, the Ivy League Championship just two weeks away. The Red is concentrating on the upcoming tournament, but has its eye on the championship.
“The course this week is comparable – from what my coach tells me – to the course we’re going to play at the Ivy League Championship,” Schimenti said. “The last time they played the championship at [Caves Valley Golf Club] was four or five years ago, so no one will have any experience there. I think yardage wise and course layout wise, it will be similar to this week … our coach will give us a scouting report of that course and we’ll gear our practice towards his [advice]. Before [the championship], we’ll get a couple more rounds under our belt and get a little more comfortable, so we should be a little more relaxed during the championship.”
Original Author: Albert Liao