On Tuesday, the Eagles traveled to Tyler, Texas to partake in the Al Jones Memorial tournament, a 36-hole competition between nine colleges. The competition took place at the Cascades Golf Course, a par-71 course that nears 7,000 yards in length.
Emory finished sixth out of the nine teams, shooting a total of 603 (301-302) over the 36 holes. The University of Texas at Tyler (UT-Tyler), the host of the memorial, ran away with the tournament, shooting 577 (285-292). UT-Tyler's nearest rival was Washington and Lee University (Va.), which finished second with an aggregate score of 587 (296-291).
Two Eagles, sophomore Sam Nichamin and senior Alex Wunderlich finished with scores five-over par (147), good for a tie in eighth place in a 57-player field. On day one, Nichamin shot his career-low score, shooting an even-par 71.
Wunderlich, who shot a six-over 77 on day one, rebounded to shoot one-under 70 on the second day, which was the runner-up for best round of the day.
"In the first round, I didn't make any huge mistakes, but I made a few small, sloppy ones," Wunderlich said. "Then, I knew what to focus on going into the second round. I putted really well, so even when I made mistakes, that made up for them."
Wunderlich also attributed his good putting to his low score on day two, saying it allowed him to convert more birdies.
The other Emory performers were juniors Jonathan Gerrard, Vince Sirianni and Alex Lynch. Gerrard finished 34th overall, shooting a 155 (79-76) over the two days, while Sirianni shot a 157 (75-82). Lynch finished last among the Emory players, shooting 163 (84-79) at the Memorial tournament.
"It's good to see us get better each round. Our next step is to add depth to Vince Sirianni, Jonathan Gerrard and Keenan Hickton. They'll be a really strong three in the future," Head Coach John Sjoberg said.
Wunderlich is optimistic about the team's progress going forward.
Eagles Take Sixth at Al Jones Tourney
Senior Alex Wunderlich watches his shot as it leaves his club. Wunderlich and the Eagles finished sixth overall out of nine teams at the Al
Jones Memorial tournament in Tyler, Texas last Tuesday and Wednesday. | Courtesy of Emory Athletics
"We've improved every round. There wasn't anything special about our performance at this tournament, but guys on the team have already pinpointed things we need to improve on as we go on," he said.
The golf squad's next action is this weekend, Oct. 6 and 7, when the Eagles will participate in the Oglethorpe Fall Invitational at the Royal Lakes Golf Club, a short drive away from the Emory campus.
"[The Oglethorpe Fall Invitational] is the most competitive of the season. We'll have a short turn-around, but also a short trip. There'll be 18 really good teams," Sjoberg said.
– By Ethan Morris, Staff Writer
