LEWISBURG, PA- The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) golf team opened its 2024-2025 season today at the Gauntlet on the 6,295-yard, par 70 Bucknell Golf Course. The Engineers, ranked 33rd nationally by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), put out an experienced lineup, with all five players seeing significant tournament play last year.
Fifth-year co-captain Matt Buckley led the Engineers, as he birdied three of his last five holes to finish two-under par 68 for the day. Buckley birdied the first, ninth, twelfth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and eighteenth holes on the day and sits in fourth place out of 75 golfers after day one, four shots off the individual leader.
Fifth-year Owen Himmer tied his career-best single round and placed second on the team with a one-over par 71, capped by an eagle on the par-five ninth hole. Himmer spent most of the day in the top five, birdieing holes one, three, thirteen and eighteen along with his eagle on nine, slipping back at the end to finish at 10th with a few teams left to finish. Anthony Chen shot even-par through the last 13 holes after a rough start to finish plus 4 74. Jacob Lindsay. and Ryan Komp both shot eight-over par.
As a team, the Engineers shot 11-over par 291, placing them 6th-of-15 teams after day one. However, the Engineers were within two of the lead at plus six after fifteen holes, before falling back on the last three holes. The Franklin and Marshall College team leads the tournament at four-over par.
Coach Matt McGarvey had this to say about day one: "The golf course was firm and fast with several very small greens. We are pleased to be in striking distance heading into tomorrow."
The Engineers look to make a run at the lead tomorrow on the final day of the Gauntlet where play will begin with an 8:30am shotgun start.
