Suffolk University men’s golf wrapped up their fall season at the Conference of New England Championship, posting a two-day score of 635 at the Tedesco Country Club Oct. 29-30.
After day one, the Rams sat fifth in the nine-team field after putting up a team score of 317, with junior Jonathan Donovan and freshman Michael Gallagher leading the team after posting a pair of 77s.
The team dropped to sixth place after posting a team score of 318 on day two, with three Rams finishing in the top 25. Donovan led the team overall, carding a 36-hole score of 157, which left him tied for 18th place in the 45-golfer field.
Senior co-captain Vijay Sakuru finished tied for 39th place. Although he was not thrilled with his performance, he took it as a learning experience.
“I can’t say I’m fully satisfied with my own performance, but that’s what I love about the sport. Golf keeps you humble, always challenging you to come back stronger,” Sakuru said, underscoring the resilience he brings to every round.
Top 25 finisher and senior co-captain Jacob Zirlin spoke about the challenging state of the course.
“Tedesco Country Club proved to be the toughest test of my game throughout my college career. It was a place where you had to be precise and putt very well, and I don’t think our team was well prepared for that,” Zirlin said.
Despite posting a less-than-ideal 84 after the first day of competition, junior Christopher Sinopoli was the team’s top performer on day two with a score of 75, good for 24th place.
Sinopoli credited his second-day success to Suffolk women’s golf head coach Jay Parker, who joined the team as an assistant coach for this tournament and was able to aid Sinopoli in strategic shot planning.
“One thing I felt that helped me a lot on day two was having Jay there helping. He helped me talk through some golf shots and read some putts,” Sinopoli said.
Sakuru also highlighted the importance of good leadership on the course, especially given the team’s hiring of new head coach Joshua Brickley.
“Coach Josh, our new addition, has brought an incredible depth of knowledge and insight into the golf swing that’s been invaluable to all of us. Working alongside my co-captain Jacob has been a pleasure, and I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to share the course with,” Sakuru said.
With this, the team looks forward to the spring season ahead.
“Here’s to what’s next -– onwards and upwards,” Sakuru said.
