CHAMPIONS! Men’s Golf Wins its Fourth CACC Title and Mason Kucy Takes the Individual Crown

10/4/2022 12:00:00 AM

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Goldey-Beacom rode the play of conference champion Mason Kucy (Camrose, AB) to a final-round 309 and captured its fourth Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference title, carding 897 at Watertown Country Club in Watertown, CT.

Kucy, playing his first tournament in the 2022-23 campaign, shot 76 on the day that included three birdies. With the individual and team championship in the balance, Kucy made par on the 17th and 18th holes for his first conference title and second individual crown. He ended the championship with a five-over-par 218, upending Wilmington's Tyler Cleaves by one shot, and that included Monday's opening-round 69.

This helped Goldey-Beacom hold off Wilmington by six shots for its first CACC title since winning three straight from 2003-05. GBC earns the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Regional, which takes place May 11-13 at Iron Valley Golf Club in Lebanon, PA. It will be the team's ninth trip to the regional and second consecutive.

Kucy's win marks the sixth year Goldey-Beacom has garnered an individual CACC crown. GBC Hall of Famer Michael Tobiason captured the outright championship from 2003-05, shared it with Steven Cutler in 2006 and Hunter McGee (Almonte, ON) won it last season.

Of course, winning a team title takes more than one individual. Sophomore Pablo Saenz Avila (Bogota, Colombia) gave the Lightning a massive boost with 74, ending the championship tied for third with 224. The three-time member of the All-CACC Team, who carded 73 in Monday's second round, on Tuesday provided a huge bolt of lightning with a long birdie putt on the 18th hole for his fifth birdie of the round and seventh of the championship.

McGee ended his day firing 80 and closed the event with 226, finishing tied for seventh. The best 18 for last year's individual champion and the three-time member of the All-CACC Team was an opening-round 69 that included five birdies.

Sophomore Camilo Samur (Bucaramanga, Colombia) shot 81 on the day to end the tournament tied for 16th with 235. His best round was Monday's second 18, in which he carded 75. Sophomore Adrian Bonilla (Almeria, Spain) carded a final-round 80 that included two birdies and closed the championship 21st with 239. This included 74 in Monday morning's opening round.

"Our team was close last year to winning the CACC championship, but we lost in a heartbreaker," Kucy said. "It was probably our most difficult loss of the year. We re-dedicated ourselves this year to focus on this tournament. We have had a lot of success in many tournaments over my years here at GBC, but the CACC was a title that we struggled to win. We are happy as a team to bring the CACC golf title back to Goldey-Beacom. Personally, I am happy with my performance. I knew I liked this course and I knew I could play better because my game is in a better place. The conditions were so tough this week (windy and cold), but my ball striking and putting were solid. We are excited to qualify for NCAA Regionals again, but our goal this year is to see if we can take the next step for the golf program and qualify for the NCAA Finals."

As the student-athletes deserve the credit, much of the credit also goes to Director of Athletics Jeremy Benoit for molding the team and head coach Steve Golt for guiding them. Their guidance and leadership can not be overstated is helping bring the Department of Athletics its 12th CACC title.

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