Over the weekend, the UConn Huskies Men’s golf team displayed their skills, grit and determination at the Knoxville Collegiate. Competing against numerous high-level schools from all across the country, the Huskies had a tough time keeping up. The impressive field included Tennessee, Ole Miss and Mississippi State. The University of Tennessee finished in first place with an impressive (-25).
As the tournament unfolded, the Huskies demonstrated their resilience and competitive spirit. Despite the juggernaut competition they faced, the Huskies showed promising skills and composure later on in the week. Let’s take a look at how the UConn Men’s golf team performed each day of the tournament.
Day 1:
UConn’s golf performance has steadily improved and gained attention in recent years. Over the weekend, the Huskies had a slow start throughout the first two rounds. Tommy Dallahan, a senior, struggled in his first round, shooting a 77 (+7). Ray Dennehy, a junior, shot a 75 (+5), Connor Goode, a sophomore 72 (+2), Trevor Lopez, a junior 76 (+6) and Alex Heard, a freshman 79 (+9).
Day 2:
With a rain delay, Dallahan flipped the script and shot a 68 (-2), posting three birdies on the front nine. Dennehy shot a 73 (+3), Goode shot a 77 (+7), Lopez shot a 73 (+3) and Heard 81 (+11). Dennehy and Dallahan shaved off strokes from their previous rounds but not enough to keep up with Tennessee. The Volunteers shot -22, which begs the question of whether it was a home course advantage or if they just had the hot hand.
Final Round
The Huskies couldn’t find a way to get it done this weekend. It’s the first tournament of the fall, but they can use the Knoxville Collegiate as a learning opportunity for the rest of the season. Dallahan finished the weekend with T54 (+9), Trevor Lopez with T61 (+11), Dennehy with T63 (+12), Goode with T74 (+17) and Heard with T81 (+24). Overall, the Huskies’ team score was tied for 14th in the tournament (+45). The Huskies’ total aggregate was 885 on the course.
Main Takeaways
This tournament served as an excellent opportunity for the Huskies to gauge where they are as a team. The exposure to powerhouse southern schools like Tennessee and Ole Miss showed how competitive the southern field of golf is. The challenging Greg Norman-designed course was tough at first for the Huskies, but their scores got slowly better each round. Dennehy, Dallahan, Lopez and Goode all collected birdies at some point in the tournament.
This was a competitive showcase for schools across the country, all displaying their talent in some fashion. The UConn Huskies did not have their best showing, but it’s a long season and their progress will create hope moving forward. As the Huskies faced fierce competition, the team kept their composure and did the best they could. They will look to build on this performance in the UConn Invitational at GreatHorse Country Club in Hampden, Mass. with nearly a month to prepare.
