Men's and Women's Golf Off to Strong Start

By Ben Maitland
ReporterThe Longwood University men's golf team opened its season September 8 and 9 by hosting the Manor Intercollegiate Tournament at The Manor Resort Golf Club in Farmville. The teams played 36 holes on Monday and 18 on Tuesday in the 54-hole tournament. Schools competing against the Lancers at The Manor included Hampden-Sydney, High Point, Virginia State, South Carolina State, Murray State, Mount St. Mary's, North Carolina Central, Winston-Salem State, Presbyterian, Long Island and Virginia-Wise.

The Lancer men's golf team is coming off a productive season last year, which saw them capture victories in three tournaments, while claiming second in four others. Head Coach Kevin Fillman is entering his 12th year as head coach of the program. Fillman's team includes returning seniors Scooter Buhrman and Allain Blanchard, junior Adam Webb, and sophomores Michael Young and Jed Rasnick. Freshmen Kenny Leech, Ross Sumner, Stewart Surratt and Austin Gray round out the nine-man squad. A main goal that Fillman has set for this season is for the team to get back into the top 85 ranked schools in the nation, which would allow them to compete in the regional tournament. According to Fillman, "The team can do it; they just have to go out and play."

Before a tournament, Coach Fillman said that he always reminds his players to have confidence while on the golf course, telling each player to stay positive during his round. Fillman added that he wants each of his players to make smart decisions about shots that will not detract from what the team is trying to accomplish.
Fillman's dedication to the team is evident, saying that if one of his players were "emotionally and physically spent" after completing his round, he would "carry him off the course himself." With such a strong group of competitors, Fillman is extremely confident that the team will be successful in their tournament play throughout this season.

The team lineup for the Manor Intercollegiate, based off of a 72-hole qualifier, included Buhrman, Webb, Young, Leech and Sumner, while Blanchard, Rasnick, Surratt and Gray played as individuals in Tuesday's tournament.

Longwood posted a final round of 294 for a 54-hole tournament record total of 864 (287-283-294) to finish in first place among 11 teams. "Winning our home event is a fantastic way to begin the year," said Fillman in a press release after the tournament. "We expect to win and be in contention to win at most every tournament, so to win right out of the gate is a great start. Our guys played extremely well Monday afternoon and put a lot of distance between us and the rest of the field."

Young led the Lancers, tying the tournament record with a three-round total of 213 (72-68-73). Leech and Webb also placed in the top ten for the Lancers.

The women's golf team also finished first in their tournament on Tuesday, shooting a final round 308 for a 36-hole total of 614 (306-308) defeating seven teams at the Towson Invitational played at the Harbourtowne Country Club along Maryland's Eastern Shore. The Lancers finished 12 shots clear of the second-place University of Richmond Spiders, with sophomore Kameron Carter shooting a collegiate-best 141 (71-70) to lead the Lancers. Senior Mary Carmody and sophomore Brooke Mallory placed fifth and eighth respectively for the Lancers. Redshirt-freshman Mary Hashagen and senior Kara Spence rounded out the team, and both finished in the top 25