WATERVILLE, ME | AUGUSTA, ME
UMPI Golf has experienced some unprecedented success so far this season, but were met with their toughest test, as they had to play three matches in four days. Two at Waterville Country Club on Saturday and Sunday, and then one at Augusta Country Club on Tuesday. Waterville ate up the young UMPI team as the Owls finished last in both tournaments there though they improved by 23 strokes on the second day. At Augusta, UMPI was much better, placing fifth out of nine teams.
Saturday: UMF Invitational, 351
Three of the five Owls starters on Saturday got their first look at the notorious Waterville Country Club, and it reared its ugly head throughout the day. UMPI was still led by the Freshman number one, Lucas Tatryn who shot 79 including two birdies on the holes number one and number eight. He was out with a 37 and in with a 42. After him it was Jaxson Sockbeson who finished at 87 with a pair of birdies on holes nine and 18. He shot a 45 on the front and a 42 on the back.
Kamden Morlock finished with a 91, and a birdie on 11. Luke Beidelman was the last scorer for UMPI, shooting 91.
The Owls hope their team score of 351 on Saturday will be the highest on the season, and they turned the page quite well into Sunday.
Sunday: Sid Farr Invitational, 328
The Sid Farr Invitational hosted by Colby College proved to be more competitive than the Farmington Invite, as the Owls shot 23 strokes better but still finished in last place in the tournament.
This time the Owls were led by the duo of Lucas Tataryn and Kamden Morlock both. Tataryn again finished with a 79, but this time a more even-keeled round with no birdies. After tripling the first hole, he made six other bogeys and 11 pars to finish with the nine over 79 score. Kamden Morlock birdied the first hole but tripled the ninth. He played solid golf most of the day, and finished at 79 as well, including five straight pars to finish.
Luke Beidelman was next with an 82, who like Morlock, improved by 12 strokes from his previous day's score. He went 42 and 40 for his nine splits. Matthew Pelletier was the last scorer, shooting an 88 on the day including a birdie on the par three 16th hole. Avery Thibodeau was one stroke behind Pelletier, finishing with an 89.
Tuesday: Mariner Invitational, 324
Kamden Morlock kept his momentum going into Tuesday as the Owls got a change of scenery, playing Augusta Country Club. The still challenging course tested the Owls, but Morlock turned in his best round of the year, finishing with a 77. Though just one birdie on the day coming on the par five fifth hole, Morlock minimized the damage all day long, never taking worse than a bogey.
Jaxson Sockbeson was second, turning in an 80 after a 41/39 nine split. Luke Beidelman was right behind with an 81, and Matthew Pelletier had an 86, the last scorer for the Owls.
UMPI finished two strokes ahead of Colby College and two behind SMCC for their highest finish on the weekend of fifth place.
Next Up:
UMPI will next compete in the Moose Invitational on Sunday, September 27th down in Litchfield Maine. The Owls seemed to have weathered the storm through their toughest stretch and have just two more tournaments remaining before the NAC Championships on October 9th and 10th in Bangor.
