The Quinnipiac men’s golf team earned yet another top-10 finish at the New England championships at the Captain’s Golf course in Cape Cod, Mass.
The Bobcats finished eighth in the two-day, 36-hole championship, which featured 45 of the region’s teams.
They posted an aggregate of 626 after shooting a 315 during day one and then 311 in day two. They were able to do this behind the hot swing of senior standout Craig Cyr, who registered rounds of 74 and 76, respectively, which was good for a collective 150.
Last year, QU placed 7th in the event, riding the clubs of Cyr, Steve Velardi, and then-senior Keith Lazarchik, along with former Bobcats Jay Cardish and Andy O’Grady.
This year, the ‘Cats were once again under the leadership of decorated veterans Cyr and Velardi, but they relied on a bevy of newcomers to step it up.
Cyr finished in eleventh place in front of Dartmouth’s Alex Abate and Salem State’s Matt Barren.
UConn junior Jason Parajeckas claimed first place. The All-American candidate shot a 139, posting rounds of 69 and 70 to beat out runner-up Jason Pannone of Rhode Island.
The Rams of URI shot an eye-popping 592 (+16) to capture the team title, which was first played back in 1934. The 71st Annual Intercollegiate Golf Association-sponsored event is currently the oldest in the nation. The only other golf tournament that is even close to as old as it is the University of New Mexico’s 52-year-old Tucker Invitational.
The next Bobcat to finish behind Cyr was freshman Ian O’Conner, who has certainly made a name for himself thus far this fall. O’Conner, who along with Cyr was the Bobcats’ top finisher at the MacDonald Cup, shot a 156 and placed 36th.
Sophomore Kyle Chumas finished in 59th. The former South Carolina Heritage Academy star posted rounds of 79 and 80 to hold off Matt Czarnecki (Hand Alec MacColl.
The Bobcats have now finished within the top ten at every match this season. Quinnipiac as compared in the Quinnipiac Bobcat Invitational (5th), the MacDonald Cup at Yale (tenth), the ECAC championships (8th and 9th), Central Connecticut’s Blue Devil Invitational (10th), the Dartmouth Invitational (6th and 7th), and now the most prestigious of them all, the New England championships.
