This past weekend, Emory University’s men’s golf team traveled to Myrtle Beach, S.C. to compete in the Jekyll Island Collegiate Invitational hosted by Oglethorpe University (Ga.). Emory finished in fifth place in the tournament.
After winning the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships, the team looked to maintain its momentum as they competed on the 54-hole Pine Lakes Course against 27 other schools at the Jekyll Island Collegiate Invitational — including 13 of the Bushnell Golfweek Top 25 programs. The tournament also included four of the top six Division III programs in the nation: No. 1 Methodist University (N.C), No. 2 Oglethorpe University, No. 5 Berry College (Ga.) and No. 6 Huntingdon College (Ala.).
The Eagles looked strong after beating the University of Rochester (N.Y.) and Carnegie Mellon University (Penn.) to win first place at the UAA Championships, Emory’s fourth title in the last six years. Furthermore, three freshmen, Stefano Butti, Noah Apter and Anthony Muscato, received All-Tournament Team honors, with Butti awarded the recognition of most valuable player. Head Coach John Sjoberg was also named the UAA Coach of the Year.
Emory had a lot of momentum heading into the tournament but was unable to turn that into another victory. By the end of the second day, the team was standing at fourth place with a robust score of 576 following 36 holes. Muscato and Butti showed off their talents by posting a three-under par 69 and even-par 73, respectively. Other Emory players also stepped up, including sophomores Keenan Hickton and Connor Yakubov, who finished with an even-par 72 and a 74, respectively.
Positioned just below LaGrange College (Ga.) in third place, Christopher Newport University (Va.) in second and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) in first, the Emory squad had a night to rest at the hotel and prepare to give their absolute best on Sunday in the final round.
On March 20, Butti led the Eagles, shooting a one-under par 71. Hickton, Muscato and Apter each finished a one-over par 73. The team ended the day with a score of two-over par 290.
Emory finished the tournament with an overall mark of 866. Butti yet again led the way with an overall score of one-under 215 (tying for sixteenth among the 150 players at the Invitational), matching Emory’s fourth-best individual performance in the history of the program.
Despite their strong performance, Emory did not advance. They finished in fifth place, tying with Christopher Newport and Berry. However, the Eagles will have a chance to rebound when they travel to Montgomery, Ala. on March 28 and 29, where they will compete in the Huntingdon College Spring Invitational.
