For weeks, GW head golf coach Scott Allen said that the competition for starting spots between four talented freshmen and four solid returning players would result in better overall play from his team.
His prophecy came true as the Colonials finished eighth at the Walter McLaughlin Red Storm Invitational in Farmingdale, N.Y., and third at the St. Bonaventure Keenan Invitational, in Olean, N.Y., last weekend.
The Colonials finished third of 17 teams at the Keenan Invitational Oct. 4-5 at the Pennhills & Bartlett Country Club with an overall score of 603 (43-over). First and second place went to Bowling Green University and St. Bonaventure, with scores of 593 (33-over) and 599 (39-over) respectively.
“Overall, I felt that our team played just as well or better than St. Bonaventure, since they only beat us by three shots despite the knowledge that comes with playing on their home course,” Allen said.
Freshman Bryan Derdenger and sophomore Ryan Day were the best GW finishers, shooting a pair of 148s to end in a tie for fourth. Derdenger shot an even-par 70 on the first day, while Day equaled that score on the second day. Freshman Tim Derdenger finished with a 153 to tie for 12th, while freshman Tim Blankvoort finished in a tie for 17th with a 155.
“The Derdenger twins and Ryan Day played so well that they have already qualified for the next tournament,” Allen said.
At the Red Storm Invitational, hosted by St. John’s University Oct. 2-3, the Colonials placed eighth out of a field of 22 teams with an overall score of 599 (39-over). The Colonials’ team score broke the previous GW 36-hole record of 600 set in October, 1996 at the James Madison Fall Invitational, according to the GW Office of Sports Information.
First place at the tournament went to the University of Wisconsin, which finished with an overall score of 574 (14-over).
Individually, Bryan and Tim Derdenger were the top GW finishers, earning a tie for 21st place with a total of 149 on the par-70 Red Course of the Bethpage Black Golf Club. The other starters – Blankvoort, Gavin Parsons, and Ryan Day – finished with overall scores of 152, 153, and 154 respectively.
Even better for the Colonials than their overall finish is they finished fourth out of the teams in their district, District II. These are the teams that are in direct competition with the Colonials for the four or five slots open for each division in the NCAA Tournament.
“This was a great turnaround for us and I’m glad the team has played at the level I always knew they were capable of,” Allen said.
