Feb. 22, 2003
Everything must change.
That is if you're not a member of 2002-03 George Mason men's golf team which returns all nine letterwinners from last year's squad that placed in the top-five in four team tournaments, finished seventh at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships and completed the season ranked sixth in the NCAA District II rankings, which is the team's highest finish since 1996.
With so many talented and experienced players returning, one might think that head coach Linda Gaudi, who is entering her fourth season with the Patriots, would be excited about the potential of this year's team. And In fact she is, however she also understands that the competition is getting better as well.
"I do feel like we're playing better overall," said Gaudi. "Our team tournament average is down from last year after our fall tournaments, but the competition is also getting stronger as well, so we haven't been able to make up ground with our improvement. We're shooting lower scores, but it's not showing in the overall standings."
The Patriots lower scores are the result of talented upperclassmen leadership in seniors Chris Barr, Brian Marfori and Ben Adlard along with junior Craig Mason, a 2002 PING/GCAA Mid Atlantic All-Region selection.
"I've grown with Chris, Brian, and Ben," stated Gaudi. "They were here at Mason when I started four years ago, and now it's their time to shine. As seniors who have been a part of the program for four years, they keep the other players on the team together with their commitment and dedication. I'm very proud of what they've accomplished and hope that this last year will also be their best year."
"Craig is also definitely one of our leaders with his scoring, dedication to practices, and his commitment to the team overall," she explained. "He's doing what he needs to do to keep our team competitive. He enjoys motivating the team and he comes to me when there are things that need to be discussed."
Mason has been the Patriots best golfer the past two seasons, and should continue to be a force. He led George Mason in strokes per round average last season (72.5), appearing in every event. Mason placed in the top-20 nine times, earning four finishes in the top-five and winning two tournaments. He concluded the year as a first-team All-CAA selection and was named to the Virginia Golf Coaches Association All-State first team.
Adlard has been one of the steadiest players for Gaudi over the years. Last season, he finished second on the team with a 74.7 strokes per round average. He earned five top-20 finishes in 11 events and earned fourth at the River Landing Intercollegiate.
Barr has steadily grown to become an impact player for the Patriots since his freshman season of 1999-00. He appeared in 10 of 11 events last year and ranked third on the squad in strokes per round with 76.0. Barr totaled three top-20 finishes and posted seventh at the Navy Fall Invitational.
Marfori competed in six of 11 tournaments last year, averaging 77.5 strokes. His best finish was 15th at the Princeton Invitational. He has been a strong player over the years, having seen action in at least six tournaments every season.
Gaudi's other veterans include juniors Ben Hogan and Carl Jacobson, sophomores Ryan Jeun, Will Britt and Billy Mellon.
Hogan and Jacobson are both good players who want to make an impact this season. Gaudi believes that with better physical training, the duo could do just that and contribute consistently lower scores during the season. Hogan shot 77.8 strokes per round in 2001-02 and once finished in the top-20 in five of the events he entered. Jacobson saw action in three tournaments, scoring 81.3 strokes per round.
Jeun, Britt and Mellon each saw limited action last season, but are expected to contribute and add depth to this year's team. Jeun has had a slow start adjusting to the college game, but Gaudi is seeing good things from him as the season progresses. He participated in three of 11 tournaments, posting an 80.6 average.
Britt and Mellon must sit out the fall season as they concentrate on academics. However, both are expected to be available once the spring season begins. Last year, Britt saw action in two tournaments and averaged 83.4 strokes per round. Mellon played in three events, scoring an 82.0 average.
She has also added two freshmen in Mike Cavanagh and Mike Kirby.
Cavanagh "has the potential to be an impact player for us as a freshman" stated Guadi. A very competitive athlete with a good attitude towards practice, he's capable of shooting par golf and below in every tournament he enters. A highly rated player out of Minnesota, Cavanagh will step in right away and contribute for the Patriots. Kirby is a walk-on who had scheduling problems in the fall, which didn't allow him to fully practice with the team. He is expected, however, to participate in the spring.
The fall schedule includes trips to Navy for the Navy Fall Invitational and to Harrisonburg, VA for the James Madison Invitational. The Patriots then travel to the The McLaughlin in Farmingdale, NY, which will be held at the Beth Page golf course recently made famous as a tour stop by the Professional Golf Association. Mason concludes the fall with tournaments in Wallace, NC and Greenville, NC. The spring season has the Patriots traveling to tournaments hosted by Charleston Southern, William & Mary, Liberty, Princeton, and Penn State. The CAA Championships are slated for April 20-22.
The effort put forth by her players during the fall and early spring season tournaments will tell coach Gaudi plenty about the mettle of her team as it competes for the CAA crown and team tournament titles in other events. After placing sixth in the region last year, and welcoming back the same personnel this season, the Patriots are primed and ready to face the challenges ahead of them.
"I don't know what else I can ask from my players than they've already given," stated Gaudi. "Finishing the year ranked sixth in the region last year allowed us to get into stronger tournaments this season. And to win those tournaments, everyone is going to have to shoot par golf or better and that's tough to do. As we improve, so does the rest of the competition. But, it's good to see that these players are starting to believe that they are capable of shooting lower scores. They're feeling good about their ability and it's exciting to be around them. They work hard every tournament."
