The Fairfield men’s golf team finishes first in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship, while the women finish sixth.
The Men were the only team to shoot below even, and when it mattered most, they shot a -1 on the final day to outlast Sacred Heart University.
For the first time since 1997, the Stags secured the first-place spot in the MAAC Championship.
First-year Tadgh Burke led the Stags, shooting a -6 and winning the McLeod Trophy. With his heroics on 18, he birdied to give himself the individual lead and also secured the Stags their first MAAC Championship in a long time.
Senior Colin Summers also had a very strong performance, shooting even par throughout the three days, which was a significant help.
The team’s success could be attributed not just to individual talent but to their overall discipline and mental toughness. With a mix of youthful energy and veteran presence, Fairfield managed to stay focused under pressure, particularly during the final round, where the stakes were highest.
All five golfers for Fairfield finished in the top 25 for individual performances, with three of them in the top 15.
The Stags were down seven strokes after day one to Sacred Heart and Rider, but their final two days were phenomenal. They shot -4 as a team, while Sacred Heart shot +5 over the next two days and Rider shot +20.
The key was consistency for the Stags; while they struggled on the opening day, they kept their composure and showcased great rounds of golf, being the only team on either day two or day three to shoot under par.
However, this was not the case for the Women Stags, as they finished sixth in the MAAC Championship.
The Stags were outshot by the winner, Quinnipiac University, by 54 strokes.
The Stags’ best performer was senior Julia Rabadam, who shot a +17, with her best day being day three when she shot a 73.
The Stags’ top three girls were ranked 23, 24, and 25 on the leaderboard at the finish, with scores of +17, +18, and +21, respectively.
The women’s golf team never kept it close; they were in fifth after the first day and never ranked any higher than that.
The overall stats were +21 for day one, +33 for day two, and +19 for day three, accumulating a score of +73 over the three days.
While the women’s team struggled to keep pace with the top contenders, there were glimpses of potential. Finishing three players in the Top 25 showed some consistency in the lineup, and with a mix of returning players and possible new talent next season, there’s room for growth.
With these great seasons coming to an end, the men come out on top while the women focus on getting a better result for nect year.
