Golf finishes 9th in last tournament

By Jeremy Schilling

As the result of the announcement earlier this semester that the golf team would be cut from the Quinnipiac University Athletics department after the 2009 season, the Bobcats knew that they needed to go out with a bang, and they traveled to ChampionsGate Golf Club in Kissimmee, Fla., for the Northeast Conference Tournament to attempt to do that. They ended up with a ninth place team finish out of 11 teams and a 15^th place individual finish by Senior captain Ian O’Connor.

The team shot a three-day score 945. Sacred Heart won the team portion with an 883, followed by Central Connecticut wit 909, Long Island University with 910, Robert Morris with 915 and St. Francis (Pa.) shot a 916 to round out the top five.

Individually O’Connor got that fifth place by shooting 72 on the final day for a 54-hole team score of 227. He was followed by Jayson Loranger who had a 235, Charlie Niland with a 241, Ryan Reynolds with a 242, and Ben Cook with a 265. Central’s Eric Hawerchuk shot a 212 to win the individual competition.

So after 12 events for the 2008-2009 school year, head coach John O’Connor and his team of 10 have hit their last QU golf shots for the foreseeable future.

Bobcats continue final season with 7th place finish

By Jeremy Schilling

The Quinnipiac University Bobcats Golf team continued their final season by finishing seventh out of 10 teams at the Northeast Invitational Friday, April 17 in Providence, R.I. The Bobcats shot a combined 36-hole team score of 649. Sacred Heart won the tournament with a score of 590. They were followed by the University of Hartford with 593 and University of Rhode Island with 598.  Dartmouth and Central Connecticut State rounded out the top five.

Individually the Bobcats were led, for the second straight tournament, by Chris Connell, who shot a two-round score of 155. He was followed by Chris Gatcomb with 156, Charlie Niland with 157, Jayson Loranger with 163, Ian O’Connor with 164 and Ben Cook with 165. Ryan Reynolds shot a 36-hole score of 171.

The Bobcats next play on May 1-3 when they take part in the Northeast Conference Championship in warm Kissimmee, Fla.

Bobcats play two

By Jeremy Schilling

Last weekend, April 10-11, the Quinnipiac University golf team played at the New England Championships in Providence Rhode Island and finished eighth out of 10 teams. The team shot a combined score of 470. The tournament was supposed to be a 36-hole tournament but was cut to 27 due to bad weather. Sacred Heart won the tournament, shooting a 446, followed by Binghamton, Bryant, Rhode Island and Central Connecticut State.

Individually, the Bobcats were led by Charlie Niland who finished in 15th place with a two-day score of 114. He was followed by Ian O’Connor who shot 117. Jayson Loranger followed with 119, with Ryan Reynolds following with a 120. Ben Cook shot a 27-hole score of 125.

On Tuesday, the Bobcats played in the St. Peter’s Peacock Invitational in Neshanic, N.J. The team shot a score of 327 in difficult conditions, finishing eighth out of 15 teams. Iona College won the tournament with a score of 316. They were followed Central Connecticut State, Army, Bucknell and St. Peter’s College.

Individually the Bobcats were led by Chris Connell who finished in third place individually with a score of 75. He was followed by Loranger and Reyndols with scores of 80. Niland was next with 82 and O’Connor and Chris Gatcomb both shot 85. Cook shot 87 and Ryerson Stinson shot 88.

After the tournament, head coach John O’Connor told quinnipiacbobcats.com, “Despite the fact that Chris was a freshman walk on and did not play his sophomore year, his contributions this season have been extremely positive for this team. He has been a tremendous leader on the course and in the class room.”

The Bobcats next play on Friday, April at the Northeast Invitational in Portsmouth, R.I.

Bobcats finish 21st at season-opening GWU Invitational

By Jeremy Schilling

The Quinnipiac University Bobcats golf team began its final season at the George Washington Invitational March 20 and 21 with a 21st place finish. Held at the Bear Trap Dunes Golf Course in Bethany Beach, Del., the Bobcats shot a 36-hole team score of 678. The team victor was the University of Rhode Island who shot a combined score of 601. They were followed by Longwood University, the University of Pennsylvania, Skidmore College and the University of Delaware to round out the top five.

Individually, the Bobcats were led by Jayson Loranger, who shot a 36-hole score of 168 for a 72nd place finish. They were followed by captain Ian O’Connor with a 168, Ryan Reynolds who shot 169, Ben Cook who finished with a 172, and Ryerson Stinson who finished with a 181. They all chased Justin Martinson of Delaware, who shot a 145 to win the individual tournament.

Quinnipiac returns to action March 28 and 29 when they participate in the Monmouth University Hawk Invitational in Littlestown, Pa.