M. Golf Closes Out Season at NEIGAs

The Harvard men’s golf team wrapped up its fall season yesterday with neither its best player nor its best effort.

Midterms kept junior Andrew Klein—the Crimson’s top finisher at the ECAC Championship two weeks ago—from competing at the 68th annual New England Intercollegiate Golf Association (NEIGA) championship this week. He was missed, as Harvard finished 13th out of the 47-school field.

The Crimson placed 43 shots in back of first-place Rhode Island. The Rams improved 14 strokes off their opening round to capture their fifth consecutive NEIGA title.

“We didn’t play well Monday. And [yesterday] we were worse,” said junior Steven Mungovan, Harvard’s top finisher with a 12-over 156 that placed him 31st.

For the second straight outing, Mungovan turned in Harvard’s best single round at a tournament, posting a 4-over 76 on Monday. That round placed him just four shots behind the leader heading into yesterday.

“My driver was great and I putted well,” said Mungovan, who also posted Harvard’s best 18-hole score at the ECAC Championship. “But the rest of my game—my irons and my chipping—was bad.”

The Crimson was tied for 12th with Western New England after Monday’s opening round, 18 strokes off the pace of first-day leader Central Connecticut State. Harvard shot three strokes worse as a team yesterday, dropping a spot.

The 36-hole NEIGA tournament—the largest and oldest college golf event in the country—hosts its two rounds on two separate courses. Mungovan noticed the difference.

“I thought the first course was fairer,” he said. “Not that it was easier, but the second course had some bad holes. But obviously everyone had to contend with that.”

Senior Neal Hegge was Harvard’s best finisher after Mungovan, carding a 78-80—158. He tied for 41st.

Cliff Ryan was the Crimson’s third-best scorer, shooting a 84-80—164 that placed him 80th. Co-captain Andrew Harmeling and freshman D.J. Hynes rounded out the team’s scoring, posting a 23-over 167 and a 26-over 170, respectively.

Notes

The tournament featured three specialty competitions on Monday afternoon. In the long-drive contest, Hegge hit a 305-yard tee shot that gave him the lead before a later entrant hit a 321-yard blast. Also, Harmeling momentarily held the lead in the putting competition. ....

Its fall season now complete, Harvard will head indoors to practice during the winter months. The Crimson’s season picks back up in March, when Harvard will make its spring break trip to Monterey, Calif.

—Staff writer Brian E. Fallon can be reached at bfallon@fas.harvard.edu.