Colgate University’s Men’s Golf traveled to Lewisburg, Pa., earlier this month to participate in the Bucknell Invitational Tournament. This tournament featured 19 different schools and over 100 golfers. Some of the participating colleges were Patriot League rivals College of the Holy Cross and Bucknell University, as well as several New Jersey colleges — Fairleigh Dickinson University, Monmouth University and Rider University. Despite Bucknell’s home-turf advantage and two separate teams competing, Youngstown State finished first with a team score of +17. Robert Morris University followed in second at +22, and the Raiders claimed third with an impressive +23. The Raider’s strongest showing was Round Three, where they combined for a +3 team score.
Most notably, sophomore Brayden Dock had the best showing among all 112 participating golfers. He was the only golfer to shoot under par after three rounds, with an aggregate score of -1. His five birdies on the final day of the tournament propelled him from 19th place to first, edging out Holy Cross first-year Leo Chu by one stroke. The icing on the cake for Dock came when he was announced as the Patriot League Golfer of the Week for his record-setting performance.
Teammate Jayden Freedman emphasized Dock’s impact.
“Brayden’s round was huge for us,” Freedman said. “He set the tone early by going low and keeping his composure, which gave everyone a lift.”
Colgate traditionally performs well in Lewisburg, and the team was determined to retain this reputation. Dock talked about his mindset before Round Three and explained that his goal was simply to post a solid number for the team and move up a few spots on the leaderboard.
“It felt like any other round I’ve competed in,” Dock said. “Winning never really crossed my mind, … I just kept my head down and focused on the shot in front of me.”
Nonetheless, there was no better way for Dock to end the season. Expectations and hopes are high ahead of the spring season for Dock and the rest of the team.
“It definitely boosts my confidence, but there’s still a lot of work to be done in the offseason,” Dock said. “I’m focused on building off this momentum and carrying it into the spring.”
With this being Colgate’s third straight top-three tournament finish, they hope to start the spring season right where they leave off.
Junior Leo Li was the next Raider with the lowest score at the Bucknell Invitational. He tied for 22nd with an aggregate score of +7, highlighted by a standout first-round performance of even par.
“This fall, we had some great success,” Li said. “Not only did we get on the podium in a few tournaments, but we also had the honor of dominating Patriot League Player of the Week three weeks in a row. That’s a great accomplishment because it indicates we have a team of significant promise.”
There is a strong sense of optimism among the players that will carry into the spring. With the team’s camaraderie, abundance of talent and undeniable momentum, it will be exciting to see how the Raiders will perform in the coming seasons. The young talent provides great promise for the program’s future, and the players have emphasized the importance of training during the offseason. Right now, it’s full steam ahead for the Raiders.
