Women
The second-ranked women’s golf team entered this past weekend on the heels of a comeback win at Vassar, looking to take their momentum and convert into continued success. They did not disappoint, first taking the Massachusetts State Championships team title handily on Friday, then going on to win the 2010 Jack Leaman Invitational Championships over Saturday and Sunday.
The Jeffs had spectacular performances in both team and individual terms. Amherst finished with a score of 333, 13 strokes better than runner-up Wellesley College. Liz Monty ’13 led the team by shooting 80 and taking first overall. Junior Hayley Milbourn finished in third place with 82, while senior captain Kinne Schwartz shot an 84 for fourth overall. Sophomores Laura Monty and Elaine Lin both finished with an 87 and tied for sixth to round out the scores for the Jeffs.
Monty ’13’s run to take the top spot individually in the Massachusetts State Championship may have been the highlight of the weekend. She ended the round in a tie for first with Kimberley Eaton of Wellesley, and so, though the team title was already locked up, participated in a playoff to determine the individual winner. After tying the first three holes, Monty ’13 popped up her drive on the fourth playoff hole onto a fescue behind a tree while Eaton delivered with a great drive down the middle. Without missing a beat, Monty ’13 recovered from her position, punching out onto the fairway, then putting the next shot on the green. Eaton failed to capitalize on Monty ’13’s mistake on the drive, topping her second shot and failing to hit the green with her third. After Monty ’13 two-putted and Eaton failed to get up and down, the Amherst rookie took the Massachusetts State Championships individual title. “The playoff was really exciting and nerve-wracking for me,” said Monty ’13. “It was a great experience for me and it just proved what my coaches and parents have always taught me: ‘nothing’s over until it’s over.’ I’m very excited about the win, and the fact that it was won on a playoff with my whole team cheering me on was awesome.”
The Jeffs did not dominate as much on Saturday and Sunday as on Friday, but still managed to overcome all competition once again. Amherst finished with a two-day score of 659, putting them 10 strokes ahead of second-place Wellesley and 14 strokes ahead of third-place Williams College. Milbourn led the Jeffs, and the entire field, by shooting 84-74-158 and taking the individual title at the 2010 Jack Leaman Invitational for the third straight year. This was also Milbourn’s third medalist title of the year. Amherst didn’t rely solely on the performance of Milbourn to take the title, though. Monty ’13 was tied for first after the first round, finishing eighth overall individually, and Lin and Schwartz both finished in the top 20. “Someone stepped up to play well on both days and that contributed to our success,” said Schwartz.
The Jeffs next look forward to playing on Williams’ home course for the final tournament of the season this coming weekend. They tee off at Taconic Country Club on Saturday, April 24.
Men
The Amherst College men’s golf team placed fifth in a field of six this past weekend at the Williams Spring NESCAC Opening Tournament. The Jeffs shot a line of 327-322-649, finishing just five strokes behind the fourth-place finisher, Middlebury College. Host Williams College took the title, finishing 18 strokes better than second-place Trinity College.
Junior Trip Wray posted the best Amherst score and finished tied for sixth place overall. Wray shot a 75 on the first day and was tied for fourth overall at that point. Wray struggled through tough weather the next day and finished with an 80, dropping to a three-way tie for sixth place. Sophomore Nate Belkin had the second lowest score for the Jeffs, finishing 17th overall. Rookies Alex Butensky and Ben Johnston, who finished 23rd and 29th, respectively, put up the next lowest scores for the Jeffs. Junior Mike Belkin rounded out the team with a 36th place finish.
The Jeffs next headed over to Worcester State Invitational Tournament at Blackstone National. Amherst finished 11th out of 16, shooting a combined 345 for the day and falling 47 strokes behind the champion Trinity. Wray again led the team, shooting a 76 and finishing tied for seventh overall.
The Jeffs next come back to their home course at Hickory Ridge, where they will play in the Little Three Championships.