Loyola Men’s Golf accomplished a first-place finish at The Goat tournament this month. The Greyhounds won by five strokes, shooting five above par after three rounds. Three Loyola golfers placed in the top 10, and all five placed in the top 25.
The Goat, which featured 16 teams, was hosted by the Naval Academy Golf Club in Annapolis. Loyola came into the tournament following a fourth-place finish at the Rod Myers Invitational and John H. Ryan Memorial at Duke University on Sept. 5 through 7.
Graduate student Jackson Roman, who placed 22nd overall, felt very satisfied by the win.
“This felt the most fulfilling, because it felt like everyone on the team had a really impactful contribution to the win. We had some guys who started out slow but finished strong. We had some guys that started off super hot, which gave us an edge. Everyone played a part in being able to win,” Roman said.
Eli Spaulding ‘28 finished ninth overall by shooting steady across three rounds. To achieve his ninth-place finish, Spaulding focused heavily on using his driver to reach the green, implementing a team strategy from Head Coach Chris Baloga that encouraged golfers to reach the green as early as possible.
“The emphasis really is on hitting greens, hitting fairways, and also getting yourself out of tough situations. You’ve just got to get out of there with a bogey, or get out of there with a par,” Spaulding said.
However, Spaaulding also cited team consistency as one of the important factors in the victory.
Roman also believes that being a part of a team brings out the best in the players. He highlighted that while golf can be a very individualistic sport, being on a team helps each golfer fight through struggles.
“If you’re personally not playing well, it’s easy to throw the towel, to kind of quit on the day. But, sometimes, when you dig in and try and save a few shots down the stretch, it might end up being a difference maker for the team,” Roman said
One of the many reasons for Loyola Golf’s early success is the team’s young talent, including Liam Moloney ‘29. The first-year player tied for 10th overall at The Goat, following his ninth-place finish at the Rod Myers Invitational and John H. Ryan Memorial earlier this month.
Roman, who is in his fourth year of golfing for Loyola, explains that team veterans try to help out younger teammates when they can.
“We don’t have titled captains, but older players take on some responsibility trying to help out the younger guys and to keep everyone in good spirits,” Roman said.
Spaulding is ready for the rest of the season to come and is excited for even more chances to win.
“I know I wanted a much better result for myself… I know we all wanted to play better than how we did. So, to still win, even when we weren’t all at our best, is really exciting… I’m just excited because I love playing golf,” Spaulding said.
The Greyhounds have no plans to slow down after their victory at The Goat. Spaulding said that he and his teammates have high goals and ambitions for themselves and for their season.
Roman, who is playing his last year for the Greyhounds, seeks his fourth straight Patriot League win. Men’s golf has won the Patriot League title every season that Roman has played for Loyola, and he hopes to see that happen again.
“We’re shooting for the stars… I really love all the guys on the team right now, and I’m excited to see what we can do,” Roman said.
Men’s golf will have its next appearance at the Hamptons Intercollegiate tournament on Oct. 6 and 7, hosted by Loyola at the Maidstone Club in East Hampton, New York. Eleven colleges are expected at the tournament, and Loyola hopes to place first yet again.