The Lawrence University golf team wrapped up their season last weekend at the Midwest Conference Championships at Aldeen Golf Club in Rockford, Ill. John Pechan took second place, finishing behind winner Eric Busalacchi of Carroll University. Pechan carded a 54-hole score of 235, three strokes shy of Busalacchi’s 232. Carroll won the team title with a score of 948. Lawrence finished 8th with a score of 1086. Nathan Fearing (tied 37th), Jon Mays (43rd), Derek Brickan (45th) and Zach Joseph (46th) all competed in addition to Pechan for the Viking squad.
As with every season’s conclusion, there are seniors who have to play in their final competition. Mays is the only senior on the squad and he reflects very well on his career on the golf courses. “I am going to look back at all the fun times we had on our road trips. I feel blessed…I tried to not take any moments for granted. All of the golf that I got to play is something that many people don’t get to do. I am going to miss it.”
Looking ahead to the future, Mays sees good things to come for the program. “Although we didn’t finish as well this year as we would have liked, the team has a good base to build on for the next few years,” he said. “Obviously, Pechan is the cornerstone, but there are good golfers around him that could eventually contribute to a conference championship. It was good for a few freshmen to get experience at the conference tournament. I think in the next year or two they will be one of the best teams in the conference.”
The returning members of the team will work to hone their skills in all facets of the game this summer in preparation for the 2011 fall season.