After an underwhelming performance at their inaugural tournament in Savannah, Ga., Colgate University men’s golf looks to regroup before their next tournament. With senior captains Robbie Herzig, Wyatt Petersen and Justin Fedele at the helm, the group has high ambitions for their spring 2025 campaign.
“As a team, our main goal is always to win the Patriot League Championship at the end of the spring. Especially considering our runner-up finishes in the last two years, we hope to use our regular season tournaments as stepping stones towards playing good golf at conferences and taking home the trophy,” Herzig said.
The Raiders kicked off their season on Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Savannah Intercollegiate in Savannah, Georgia. The one-day tournament — day two was canceled due to adverse weather conditions — proved challenging for the group, who finished 11th out of 14 teams at 23-over, with scores of 301 and 298 for an aggregate two-round total of 599.
First-year Jamison Bryant, who carded a one-under 143 and tied for 22nd as an individual, acknowledged the rocky start but looks confidently towards the rest of the season.
“Coming out of a tough weekend, everyone is inspired to come out next month and dominate. I’m proud that nobody is okay with not winning, and we will improve on the things we can control,” Bryant said. “The conditions in Savannah were rough, but we can focus on our mindset, routines and more to get ready for the next tournaments […]. Ohio State University’s and University of Maryland’s home tournaments, it’ll be a great chance for us to show what we bring to the table.”
Despite the disappointment, Herzig had an impressive day on the course. After firing back-to-back rounds of 68, the senior tied for first out of 84 golfers. He turned in seven birdies and an eagle, including a bogey-free second round, to vault into a tie for first place with an eight-under 136 two-round score. His 27 pars earned him the Patriot League Golfer of the Week honor.
Looking ahead, Colgate has four remaining tournaments on the regular season schedule. Next on the agenda is the Carpetbagger Classic from March 22 to 23 at Urbana, Md.’s Worthington Manor Golf Club. According to Herzig, their most formidable opponent this year will be Loyola University Maryland.
Achieving these goals requires a dogged work ethic from each team member, including the coaching staff. Up against the brutal winter weather, the program has had to find creative ways to practice. High-intensity weight room routines and indoor simulator drills have been a great help thus far. Despite this challenge, the players showed great confidence in the Raiders’ leadership.
“Coach has found a way to make practice competitive, so when it’s game time, we can perform to the best of our abilities,” first-year Jayden Freedman said.
Herzig elaborated on the competitive atmosphere and hard-working coaching staff:
“Coach does a great job keeping us as sharp and competitive as possible in the indoor facility. We practice six days a week with a good balance of individual work and internal competition. Our lift coach, ‘Antman,’ has also been great in the weight room and has helped us hit bombs,” Herzig said.
With ample time to right the ship before playoffs, the group is focused on long-term growth and improvement. Herzig elaborated on what the team is honing in on this campaign.
“The fall was great, especially considering how young our team is. I think we need to preserve the good attitude and grit this team has, which will be particularly important for the inevitably brutal conditions we will face this spring,” Herzig said. “One thing that we can focus on as a team is getting the most out of ‘bad’ rounds. In other words, if one of us gets off to a bad start, we need to fight for every shot no matter how bad we think we’re playing.”
Freedman, who tied with fellow first-year Alex Hill for 57th place after finishing with 150 (+6) two-round totals, shared Herzig’s positive outlook:
“I think our fall season was a great learning experience for our team. With five [first-years] on the team, we have a very young team with a lot of potential, and if our fall season is even a hint at our full potential as a team, the spring season will be super successful,” Freedman said. “I think as a team we have to limit mistakes on the course. If we can do that and continue to improve on what we do good, we will be great.”
