Emma Landis
Next Up
Spotlighting the next generation of Virginia golfers
Campus
Crushers
By CHRIS LANG
AFTER LYING DORMANT FOR MUCH OF THE WINTER , COLLEGE GOLF SPRINGS BACK TO LIFE IN MID-FEBRUARY as the Division I schedule speeds toward regional and national championships in May .
But there ’ s plenty to digest from the fall season , which included some stellar performances from VSGA members . A closer look at where the top players stand heading into the second half of the season follows .
MEN ’ S GOLF
MICHAEL ’ S MOVE : No one had a finer fall season than Wake Forest ’ s Michael Brennan , the 2019 VSGA Amateur champion . In 2020 , Brennan became the first Demon Deacons ’ freshman to record back-toback victories , winning the Kiawah Invitational and the Wake Forest Invite . In fall 2021 , he did it again , claiming trophies at the Old Town Club Collegiate and Colonial Collegiate . How dialed in was he for those events ? He shot all six rounds in the 60s , including a career-best 62 in the first round at the Old Town Club Collegiate .
Brennan ’ s four individual titles puts him in rare company in Winston-Salem , as he joins players like Billy Andrade and Will Zalatoris with four career wins . He ’ s
tied for the team lead with a 69.75 scoring average , a big reason why Wake Forest is ranked 14th nationally .
BURGESS ’ SURGE : Connor Burgess took advantage of the COVID waiver to return for a final season at Virginia Tech , and the Boonsboro Country Club member has made the most of his opportunity . He tied Tech ’ s single-round record with a 64 in the final round of the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate , finishing the round with seven birdies , an eagle , and a bogey . He leads the team in scoring average at 70.25 and has two top 10s and a top 20 finish this season . His 69.75 final-round average is best among Tech ’ s players . A pair of Richmond-area VSGA members also had fine fall seasons for the Hokies , as Charlie Hanson is ranked second on the team with a 71.33 scoring average in nine rounds , and Drew Brockwell is fourth at 72.22 , including a low round of 67 .
BERRY GOOD : Brandon Berry tied eventual champion Mark Lawrence Jr . for strokeplay medalist honors at the 2020 VSGA Amateur on his home course , River Bend in Great Falls . He ’ s kept the momentum going since then and has quietly put together a strong final season at Loyola ( Md .). Berry is the Greyhounds ’ leading scorer with a 69.4 average and has twice posted rounds of 65 . Berry won the Ka ’ anapali Classic Collegiate with a score of 197 and finished second at the Georgetown Intercollegiate . Prior to this season , his best scoring average for a year was 72.14 .
STERLING DEBUT : VCU ’ s Charlie Kennedy ( Richmond CC ) made his mark early in his freshman season , posting a 68-67- 69 — 204 to win the VCU Shootout in his first college tournament . He continued
CHRIS LANG ( 3 )
10 V IRGINIA G OLFER | J ANUARY / F EBRUARY 2022
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