September 9, 2006 - 10th of 17 at Colgate Invitational after Day One
September 9, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men’s College Golf – Colgate Invitational
Rider 10th of 17 after Day One
HAMILTON, NY—He won All-MAAC honors three years in a row. Whether it was a tough shot or adverse conditions, he just went out and played. Nerves? Never happened. In his first match as head coach of the Rider Golf program however, Bob Whartenby admitted to a very different feeling as the Broncs competed at the Colgate Invitational on Saturday.
“It was nerve racking,” said Whartenby who placed fifth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championships as a senior in 2004. “When you are playing, you have more control over what is happening, when you are coaching, you are helping the players but then they have to execute and you have less control than if you hit the shot yourself. Once I get to know the players more and know the clubs that they hit, I’ll be able to help them more and then I’ll be able to relax a little more.”
Rider is currently tied for 10th out of 17 teams on the par 72 Seven Oaks Golf Course, after shooting a 317. Junior transfer Patrick Rutter (Wyomissing, Pa/High Point) is tied for third place out of 85 golfers, one shot off the lead after shooting a one-over 73.
“I was watching Patrick hit off the range and everything was solid,” Whartenby added. “I knew he was going to do well and he didn’t let us down.”
“I think I was able to do pretty well on most of the holes,” said Rutter, a political science major at Rider. “I have really enjoyed Rider so far, the team is really positive and have practiced really hard. Coach Whartenby has been pushing us and is giving us the opportunity to be successful. Looking at the teams we are competing against, if we can rebound and shoot in the low 300’s or mid 290’s, we have a chance to break into the top five. We definitely have the ability to do that, it is just a matter of us playing our game and executing on each shot. I think we will play well on Sunday.”
Also for the Broncs, junior Josh Krumholz (Reading, Pa./Gov. Mifflin) shot a 75 and is tied for 12th. Sophomore Eric LeFante (Colts Neck, N.J.) carded an 84 and is 72nd, senior Jeff Palmer (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) added an 85 (78th) and junior Dylan Maxey (Montrose, Pa./Montrose Area) shot an 86 (82nd).
“Overall I think all of us had some first match jitters,” said Whartenby. “We got off to a slow start and spent the rest of the day trying to come back from that. With a strong start tomorrow, we’ll be ok.”
With the opening round jitters out of the way, the final 18 holes will be contested on Sunday.
-RU-
Team Scores: Binghamton 296, Bucknell 298, Saint Francis 303, Ottawa 305, Central Connecticut 306, Canisius 308, Colgate B 310, Cornell 311, Colgate A 317, Rider 317, Niagara 317, FDU 318, LeMoyne 319, Fordham 320, Lafayette 322, Wagner 339.
