Bonnies Golf Opens 2024-25 Campaign

The St. Bonaventure golf team begins its 2024-25 campaign with a fall schedule consisting of six events starting with the Alex Lagowitz Memorial Invitational Aug. 31-Sept. 1 at Seven Oaks Golf Club in Hamilton, N.Y.

St. Bonaventure and head coach Ryan Swanson have the benefit of four of their players from last year's Atlantic 10 Tournament lineup returning - Peter Byrne, Michael Bucko, Caleb Decker and Gabe Williams are all veterans who will play important roles this season.

“It's good to have a strong base back - three juniors and a grad senior,” Swanson said. “We look to those four guys to lead us and do the heavy lifting this fall.”

Bucko is Bona's top returner statistically after several standout performances last season. He has played in every tournament for the Bonnies during his first two collegiate campaigns, shooting his career-low round of 67 twice last year. 

He placed third at Drexel (70-67) last spring and also posted a fifth-place finish at the Matthews Auto Invitational (71-67) in Binghamton where he also won the Triple Cities Golf Association Amateur Championship for the second consecutive year this summer. 

Byrne, a grad student in his fourth season with the program, enjoyed a breakout season last year with a 75.7 average. He opened the campaign with a scorecard of 68-69 for a second-place finish in The Little Three Championship and was a fixture in the lineup from then on. Byrne showed great improvement from his 78.1 scoring average from his junior year of '22-23. 

Decker also showed strength during his sophomore season, taking a spot in the lineup in 10 tournaments with a 76.9 scoring average.

He fired 1-under 70 at Drexel and carded a career-best round of 3-under 69 to finish tied for second at last year's Murray Cup vs. Siena. 

Williams also showed an ability to post red numbers, turning in an impressive round of 2-under 70 in the final round of last year's Atlantic 10 Championship to finish out 2023-24. He also finished fourth in the Colgate Duel (73-71) and ninth in The Murray Cup (72). A tie for 17th in a tournament of 71 players at the Matthews Auto Invitational (71-74) represented his top full field finish. 

Sophomore Vinny Liguori gives the Bonnies a fifth returner on this year's roster after playing in five events as a freshman. 

The Bonnies figure to often have at least one freshman in their lineup this year as the program welcomes four first-year student-athletes: Dante Bertoni, Nick Cecchini, Braddock Damore and Andrew Murray. 

Bertoni has experience playing at a high level in big tournaments, winning the New York State championship as a junior. The Endicott, N.Y. native also had finished of 13th and T-14th in the state championship during his high school career and won the Section IV crown twice. He was also named the Binghamton Press & Sun Golfer of the Year twice.

Cecchini comes to Bona's from Jupiter, Fla., where he played his high school golf for The Benjamin School. He produced four top-five finishes in the South Florida PGA Junior Tour as a senior.

Damore boasted an impressive resume at Warren (Pa.) Area High, winning the District 10 championship. He set Warren's all-time program record for lowest scoring average and placed third at the Pennsylvania State Junior Amateur. 

Murray, a native of Rochester, also holds the lowest scoring average (37.1) and lowest single round (69) records in his high school's history. He tied for third in the College Prep Tournaments at Penn State, shooting an opening round of 3-under par 69 at Beth Page Blue. 

The fall slate will feature some familiar stops - after opening the season at Seven Oaks, the Bonnies will look to defend their Little Three crown Sept. 17 at Crag Burn Golf Club in East Aurora, N.Y., against rivals Canisius and Niagara. The Bonnies have won the last seven Little Three titles.

St. Bonaventure will also return to the Matthews Auto Intercollegiate on The Links at Hiawatha Landing Oct. 6-7, where the program has nearly always played well including last year's tie for second in a 14-team field. 

A new stop will be the Virtues Intercollegiate in Nashport, Ohio Sept. 28-29. That tournament traditionally features a strong field and will allow the Bonnies the opportunity to tee it up against competition from Midwest schools. 

The Bonnies and Franciscan sister school Siena will also renew The Murray Cup in October outside Albany. It will be the first edition of the event following the passing of longtime program supporter Ed Murray last spring. 

SBU wraps up the fall with a return trip to the ODU/Kilmarlic Invitational in North Carolina (Oct. 20-22). 

The spring campaign will feature trips to Mid-Pines Golf Club in North Carolina (March 10-11), the Golden Horseshoe Resort Gold Course in Virginia (March 24-25), Green Valley Country Club outside Philadelphia (April 7-8) and the Penn State Blue Course (April 12-13) before competing in the Atlantic 10 Championship April 22-24. This year's A-10 Championship tournament will return to Evermore Resort in Orlando.