Despite finishing last in the Little Three Golf Tournament on Wednesday, the golf team had strong individual performances from senior captain Adam Hodge ’04 and several other members who competed in the last tournament of the season at Amherst College. Despite being shut out in the morning, the Cardinals were able to pick up a point versus Williams in the afternoon, and also picked up another half point against Amherst, both thanks to Hodge.
Before the competition, a personal goal for Hodge was to take a point from Williams, a feat that has rarely been accomplished for the Wesleyan squad in recent competitions. However, a healthy Hodge was able to bounce back from a previous injury and play one of the best matches in recent memory en route to an impressive 76.
“I’m going to have to give myself the game ball. Unlike Ian, who gave himself game balls, I earned it. My putter was on fire; I made almost everything I looked at. The fact that I was able to make my putts definitely kept me in the matches,” Hodge said.
“This is one of the highlights of my career, along with the 74 I previously shot at Williams and my qualifying for the ECACs. Playing at the number one position was definitely an achievement, especially versus Williams.”
Despite the fact the squad was only able to earn 1.5 points versus Amherst and Williams combined, the team was competitive all across the board.
“Everybody in the group played particularly well, along with the competition which made it fun,” Hodge said.
One player who was neck-in-neck in the competition was Hal Tift ’06.
“Hal was hitting the ball well,” Hodge said. “He played with Adam Stone [’05] in the morning, and played perhaps the longest round of golf in Little Three history. In the afternoon, he took his matches to the eighteenth hole. It was good to see some good golf.”
Another golfer who was right there with his competition was senior Jim Panczykowski. Panczykowski, another one of the main anchors of the team this spring, was also close with the competition in the morning rounds with Will Bennett ’07, but got some unlucky breaks on the green. In the afternoon, Panczykowski struggled with his putting but nonetheless was able to take his match to the sixteenth hole. Despite being unable to pick up a point, Panczykowski fondly looked back at his four-year golf career and the memories he acquired.
“What will stick in my head the most was at the Little Three Tournament my freshman year at Amherst, where it was just the opposite conditions than on Wednesday, in 90 degrees and humid. Adam Hodge was my partner in the morning. On the sixteenth hole, which was a par five, Adam nailed a shot into the rough near the trees, which set up a tough shot. I was able to take my 7-iron and nail the ball 193 yards, which was the greatest shot I’ve ever hit in my golf history. It was a pretty big comeback.”
Although the team was not able to end their season on a winning note, Hodge sees improvement from the team in the future.
“It is sad to see myself, Jim, and Brennan Carney [’04] that we couldn’t win our last match, but all in all it was a good four years. Next year, led by Tift, Bennett, and a few others, the team will continue to improve. That said, Mike Merckens [’06] still has to stick with the weight room all summer, and then we can expect some big things from him,” Hodge said.
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