College Golf
Rider at Rutgers Invitational – Day One
Broncs 15th of 17
PISCATAWAY—The Rider University golf team opened the 2010 fall season Friday and are competing at the two-day 54-hole Rutgers Invitational at the par 71, 6,337 yard Rutgers University Golf Course.
“It felt good to have the team back on a golf course,” said head coach Bob Whartenby. “We looked a little nervous at the start. It took the team almost a full round of golf to get back into the grove of things and that showed in our scores. Our second round scores were all better than our first round.”
For the Broncs after the first 36 holes on Friday, senior Brian Accorsini (Hopkinton, Mass/Hopkinton) carded a 151 (75/76) and is tied for 32nd out of 88 golfers with senior Brent Wolgast (Bay City, Mich./Pendleton) shooting 153 (76/77). Wolgast is tied for 43rd. Accorsini is tied for fifth overall with seven birdies.
“Brian is going to be a key to our team this year,” Whartenby said about Accorsini. “I expect him to shoot in the low seventies every time and he did that today.”
Overall, Rider is tied for fourth among the field with 27 birdies.
Also for the Broncs, freshman James Buttermark Staten Island, N.Y (Monsignor Farrell) scored a 73 after an opening round 81 for a two-round total of 154 and is tied for 48th, senior Jordan Wycoff (Fort Washington, Pa./Saint Stephen's Episcopal) had a 160 (83/77) and is tied for 68th with junior Chris Wolak (Issaquah, Wash. (Hopkinton) shooting a 163 (85/78). Wolak is tied for 74th.
“That is a great score for a freshman, for anyone really,” said Whartenby. “Jim made a bogey on his last hole or he could have had a 72. That was the lowest score for us on the day. I think he is going to be a pretty solid player for us.”
Rider is in 15th place out of 17 teams after a day one score of 618 (315/303).
“I think we eliminated some mistakes,” Whartenby said about the 12 shot improvement from the morning to the afternoon round. “We made some high numbers on some of the holes right in the beginning of the round during the morning. The second round we eliminated the mistakes and made pars or bogeys when we had previously doubled or tripled. That was the difference.”
Last season, Rider also opened at Rutgers and finished sixth of 13 teams (614) with Rider graduate Eric LeFante (Colts Neck) carding a 143 (71/72) to place runner-up.
“Eric is a big loss for us to overcome,” Whartenby said. “He was so consistent throughout his years and he will be missed. Knowing he was going to shoot in the low seventies every time, that is nice to know in the back of your mind when you are out there.”
The final 18 holes are Saturday.
“I just want to try to break 300 tomorrow,” said Whartenby. “We shot a 303 in the second round today and I just want to break that 300 number Saturday."
-RU-
Standings:
Newberry 567, Seton Hall 577, Columbia 590, Lehigh 595, Rutgers 596, Lafayette 597, Fairfield 600, Post 607, LIU-Brooklyn 607, FDU 611, Adelphia 612, Monmouth 615, Mass.-Lowell 615, Saint Peter's 617, Rider 618, Hofstra 636, Wagner 648.
