Men's Golf Takes Fourth in North Carolina

Rebuilding requires patience, and thanks to depth of its sophomore talent, the Harvard men’s golf team finally saw a payoff for last season’s rebuilding with a strong finish at the season-opening Mid-Pines Intercollegiate.

Competing in a crowded thirteen-team field in Southern Pines, N.C., the Crimson managed a fourth-place finish by posting a three-round team score of 870.

Harvard teed off at the Mid Pines Inn and Golf Club looking to build on a strong finish last season as the then-freshmen gained valuable playing experience.

Though East Carolina took the top spot with a team score of 842, the Crimson can proceed with quiet confidence in the depth of its young roster.

“As our captain, I’m exceedingly proud of our team,” junior captain Mike Shore said. “We performed well and exceeded expectations.”

The Mid-Pines Intercollegiate tested the field’s endurance with three rounds, and playing thirty-six holes on Monday rewarded those with a consistent swing and focus.

Harvard performed well on this long day with two rounds of 289. After the first round, Harvard trailed leader Old Dominion by ten shots before East Carolina state took over the top spot on the leader board for good by firing a second-round 276.

Sophomore Greg Shuman carded the lowest round for the team with a three-day score of 217 to finish in four-way tie for 18th place.

Shuman fired a one-under-par 71 during his first round on Monday morning. He then turned in a one-over par 73 the remaining rounds on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.

“I played pretty well but could have played better,” Shuman said. “Overall, I was pleased. It’s good to build on, and I know the areas where I need to improve my game.”

Other than Shore, these sophomores are the veterans, providing leadership on the course and on the driving range, as the team roster contains no seniors.

However, the extensive playing time afforded to the sophomores one year earlier has given younger Harvard players collegiate experience.

This has translated into a higher maturity and a stronger intuition for the game.

“This team is deeper that we’ve ever been in my three years,” Shore said. “The more we play with each other, the better we’re going to be.”

Sophomore Peter Singh’s fifty four-hole score of 2-over left him tied for 22nd. Singh opened with an even par 72 and shot 73 in both remaining rounds. Over 54 holes, he carded ten birdies.

Sophomore Nick Moseley came in at 5-over in a tie for 31st, while sophomore Danny Mayer and junior John Christensen both tied for 43rd with a final score of 8-over.

“It makes a huge difference [playing in so many tournaments as freshmen]. We all gained a lot of experience going through everything,” Shuman said. “We’re all going to be better off.”

That depth is also evident with a closer look at Harvard’s three-day team statistics. The Crimson’s consistently strong ball striking allowed Harvard’s five players to hit 40 greens in regulation over three rounds, affording them more chances to sink birdie putts.

The Crimson took advantage of these chances, as Shuman and Christensen each scored one eagle while Singh and sophomore Nick Moseley combined to birdie 22 holes.

“The course seemed pretty open, but everything was visible,” Shore said. “It was definitely an opportunity for someone on their game to score well.”

When golfers imagine the sand hills of North Carolina, the fabled U.S. Open venue Pinehurst usually springs into their minds first. Yet, architect Donald Ross created another golfing gem in the 6515-yard Mid Pines Golf Club, whose relatively shorter length still demands players to hit a full complement of shots to get through eighteen holes at par.

A tweaked back forced Shore to withdraw from the tournament before its start, but junior John Christensen, who originally intended to play as an individual, rounded out the usual five-man tournament roster in Shore’s place.

It remains unclear whether Shore will compete in the next tournament.

Since the Mid-Pines Intercollegiate did not allow freshmen to compete, newcomers Louis Amira and Timmy Wu remained in Cambridge, but their first tournament experience appears to be coming shortly.

So after the patience of rebuilding and growth, the early results from North Carolina give Harvard high hopes for attaining rewards for that patience.

The Crimson will have next weekend off to prepare for The McLaughlin on Sept. 21-22 in Farmingdale, N.Y.

—Staff writer Robert T. Hamlin can be reached at rhamlin@fas.harvard.edu.