This fall has provided great weather so far, and the Colgate University Men’s Golf is taking full advantage. Earlier this month, on Sept. 6 and 7, Colgate hosted the Lagowitz Memorial Golf Tournament, an event that has become a staple of the program’s fall schedule. Fourteen schools traveled to Hamilton to compete, including local competitors Binghamton and St. Bonaventure Universities, as well as Seton Hall University from New Jersey and Lehigh University from Pennsylvania.
Out of the 14 teams, Colgate placed seventh. Over the team’s three rounds of play, round two was the team’s best, as they finished with a +1 score. This came after a +7 performance in Round One, and the final round that concluded at +11. Only two schools finished the weekend under par: Lehigh (-8) and Seton Hall (-1). Based on their performance, Lehigh looks to be a formidable Patriot League rival for the Raiders later this year.
Individually, there were strong results across the roster. Sophomore Jamison Bryant tied for fifth place overall with an even-par score across three rounds. Starting at -1 in round one, Bryant shot even par in round two and finished +1 in the final round. With more than 90 participants, his top-five finish stood out as a highlight of the weekend.
Junior Leo Li also delivered an impressive performance, tying for 11th with a +2 score, including an even-par round two. His consistency was crucial in helping Colgate secure its seventh-place finish. Sophomore Brayden Dock, the third-lowest scorer for Colgate, finished at +6 overall, including a standout under-par round to close the weekend.
“Our team put in a tremendous amount of work ahead of the [Lagowitz Memorial],” Dock said. “Although the result wasn’t exactly what we were looking for, our team is extremely young and this past weekend was a great building block for future success.”
Dock also emphasized how the Lagowitz Memorial set a standard for the rest of the season.
“The Lag is our first tournament of the fall, so it plays a fairly important role in setting a benchmark for our team,” Dock said. “Seven Oaks is also an extremely demanding golf course, great for getting prepared for the rest of fall. With that said, I feel we handled ourselves pretty well out there, and we all had certain takeaways where our game needed some work.”
Sophomore Jayden Freedman echoed the value of the early test at Seven Oaks.
“Although we didn’t play to our full potential, I really like what I saw from the team,” Freedman said. “It was awesome to see Jamison have his first college Top 5 finish. All of our guys had at least one really solid round, so we certainly know what we are capable of and are looking forward to the next three weeks on the road.”
With a young roster, optimism for growth remains high as the Raiders look toward their upcoming competitions. Freedman noted the importance of the tournament’s energy and support.
“It’s always a treat to play on your home course in front of a home crowd,” Freedman said. “This tournament brings so much great energy with the lacrosse boys, family and friends all coming out to watch. We have a ton of positives to take from this and are super optimistic about the rest of the season.”
The Raiders quickly turned their attention to their next challenge: the team competed in Annapolis, Maryland on Sept. 20 and 21. The tournament tested the team on another demanding course, where sophomore Ronav Benak led the way, placing 40th with rounds of 77 and 73 (+8). Li followed closely behind in 52nd with a score of +10, while Dock and Bryant carded +12 and +14 respectively. Alex Hill rounded out Colgate’s lineup at +17.
Although the team did not place as high as they had hoped, the Annapolis event gave the Raiders another chance to measure themselves against strong competition early in the fall season. The experience added to the steady growth they showed at the Lagowitz Memorial and provided valuable lessons heading into the upcoming slate of tournaments.
Bryant also expressed confidence in the team’s long-term trajectory.
“I believe we are going to be a big contender for the Patriot League Championships and maybe even beyond that,” Bryant said. “We’re a young team, and we’re making our own path while creating a culture that will propel the program in the future.”
The Raiders will now shift their focus to the Autumn Invitational, hosted at the Lake Placid Club on Sept. 27 and 28. The tournament offers another chance for Colgate to test itself against top competition, and the team is eager to carry the momentum of its early-season performances to Lake Placid.
