By: Emily Blount, Athletics Communications Graduate Assistant
APALACHIN, N.Y. – The St. Bonaventure golf team recorded an eighth-place finish at the Matthews Auto Intercollegiate hosted by Binghamton. Bona was led by juniors Michael Bucko and Gabe Williams who both finished with an even-par 36-hole total of 144 to each finish tied for 10th.
The Bonnies finished with a team total of 297 Sunday afternoon before finishing seven shots better Monday to clear Little Three rival Canisius by three shots.
Bucko was consistent throughout the tournament carding two rounds of 72. In the opening 18 holes, Bucko recorded four bogeys and four birdies with 36 on both nines.
The Binghamton area native started his second round on a high note, carding two birdies in the first three holes. A bogey on the sixth was quickly canceled by his third birdie of the day on the ninth to post a two-under 34 on the front. Bucko got all the way to three-under par after another red figure on the par-three 13th. However, he followed with a bogey and a double on the 14th and 15th holes to finish at even-par in the second round.
Williams also recorded two rounds of 72 in his T-10 finish, his best this season. Round one started with an unfortunate triple on the second hole, but Williams scraped back to even par on the front with a birdie on the seventh and an eagle on the 510-yard par-5 ninth. Two bogeys were canceled by two birdies for the junior on the back for a 36-36 finish in round one.
The Deansboro, N.Y. native was steady throughout his second 18 holes, posting 14 pars on his way to an even-par 72.
Freshman Braddock Damore had the low round of the tournament for the Bonnies with a second-round 71, a five-shot improvement from day one. Hitting the turn at even par, Damore carded three birdies and two bogeys on the back to finish in red figures on the day.
His two-round total of 147 (76-71) earned him a T-28 finish.
Peter Byrne and Dante Bertoni were also in the lineup for St. Bonaventure.
Byrne went around in 77 strokes on day one for the Bonnies fourth counting scoring. He posted a 75 in round two, finishing T-60.
Bertoni went 78-75/153 for a T-63 finish.
Nick Cecchini, Caleb Decker, Vinny Liguori, and Andrew Murray competed as individuals for Bona.
Liguori posted the highest finish out of the four going 78-77/155. Decker (78-81/159) and Murray (79-81/160) followed with Cecchini (79-83/162) rounding out the Bonnies.
UP NEXT
The Bonnies head to Loudonville, N.Y. for the Murray Cup dual match. St. Bonaventure and Siena will compete at Schuyler Meadows Golf Club for 18 holes Oct. 8.
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1. Sacred Heart – 563
2. Binghamton – 576
3. La Salle – 579
4. Iona – 580
5. Laval – 581
T-6. Colgate – 585
T-6. Siena – 585
8. St. Bonaventure – 587
9. Canisius – 590
10. Cornell – 584
11. FDU - 596
T-12. Saint Joseph's – 597
T-12. Cornell (B) – 597
14. Le Moyne – 599
15. Merrimack – 601
16. Niagara – 615
17. Saint Peter's – 617
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