Simone on par at Binghamton

By Shanna O’Mara

Junior Aaron Simone led the golf team during the fourth annual Binghamton Fall Invite Oct. 4 and 5, placing fifth of 85 golfers.

“I’m pleased with the way I finished this week,” Simone said. “Binghamton has always been a good tournament for me, and I’ve always enjoyed that golf course.”

The team finished seventh of 16 teams after posting a 297 round on the first day followed by 303 on the second on the par-72 course.

On day one, Simone shot 75, tying for 24th place, but came back on the second day with a 68 round to catapult him into fifth place.

Coming off a disappointing finish last week against Cornell, Simone sees the progress of his team.

“We regrouped this week and played much better, but we know we still left some shots out there,” he said.

Junior Parker Mann also had an exceptional performance, placing seventh at the end of the opening round with an even par and finishing in 11th after a day two round of 74.

“I left a lot of shots out there at Binghamton,” Mann said. “If I was able to convert those shots, then those rounds would have been much lower, and I probably would have been in contention for the win. However, looking back on it, I’m very pleased with how I played. I’m really happy I was able to help contribute to the team.”

Senior Brian Dempster tied for 51st after a two-day total of 154. Seniors Tom Yarson and Joe Hughes placed 65th and 82nd, respectively.

The Binghamton title was captured by Delaware (580), followed by Rhode Island (582), Towson (590), Saint Bonaventure (593), Binghamton (599) and Colgate (599).

As the fall season winds down, Mann looks forward to the team’s ultimate aim.

“Our goal is to win a tournament,” Mann said. “There is a tremendous level of talent on this team. As long as we all keep working hard, along with the help from Coach Barry, who is excellent at bringing the best out of the individuals that he works with, I definitely believe that we can end the fall season with a team win.”

Next week, the golf team will compete in the Connecticut Cup, followed by the Lehigh Invitational on Oct. 16 and 17. These are the last two tournaments before the fall season closes and preparation begins for the MAAC Championships in the spring.