Men's Golf Opens Season Saturday at Colgate

Saturday, September 8

Hamilton, N.Y. (Seven Oaks GC)

All Day

Bucknell University

Colgate Invitational

9/7/2018 3:15:00 PM | Men's Golf

Setting The Scene
What: 2018 Alex Lagowitz Memorial Invitational, hosted by Colgate
When: Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 8-9 (54 holes)
Where: Par-72, 6,834-yard Seven Oaks GC, Hamilton, N.Y.
The Field: 15 teams (Army, Binghamton, Bucknell, Canisius, Colgate, Columbia, Cornell, Drexel, Fairleigh Dickinson, Lafayette, Lehigh, Pennsylvania, Rider, St. Bonaventure, Seton Hall)

Live Stats: GolfStat.com

About the Bison

Bucknell opens its 2018-19 season this weekend at the Alex Lagowitz Memorial Invitational, which is Colgate's annual fall event. The Bison will return to Seven Oaks on back-to-back weekends in April, culminating with the Patriot League Championship Apr. 27-28.
Bucknell returns all six members of its Patriot League Championship lineup from last spring, including three-time All-Patriot Leaguer J.P. Raftery. Connor O'Brien and Peter Bradbeer are also returning All-PL honorees.
The Bison welcome three talented newcomers this season in Carter Cook, Dylan Ford and Jason Lohwater. Cook won the team's preseason qualifying tournament, shooting 66 in the final round, and Lohwater also qualified for the week-one lineup at Colgate.
In addition to Cook and Lohwater, Michael Binney's squad will also feature Raftery, Bradbeer and Jubal Early. Chris Tanabe will play as an individual.
The Bison are looking to move up from a fifth-place finish at last year's Patriot League Championship.

Bucknell at the Alex Lagowitz Memorial Invitational

Bucknell has competed in Colgate's fall tournament every year since 2002 (except for 2011, when the event was rained out). Prior to 2002, Colgate and Cornell ran a combined event for several years, utilizing both schools' courses.
The Bison have fared well in this event, winning it in 2004 and 2006 while finishing in the top four in 11 of 15 years. Brian Bartow is Bucknell's lone individual champion here. He won the Colgate Invitational in 2009.
Last year Bucknell finished eighth among 15 teams with scores of 306-300. Chris Tanabe was the low Bison, placing T-16^th with rounds of 77-71. Raftery (73-76), Early (78-76), and Bradbeer (78-77) are also in the lineup this week after playing in the event last season.

Up Next

Bucknell returns to Upstate New York next week, as it travels to Ithaca for the Cornell Invitational on Saturday and Sunday.

Below is a more detailed season preview heading into 2018-19:

As head coach Michael Binney enters his fifth season at Bucknell, his outlook for his team has never been more optimistic. Headlined by a terrific senior class, the return of all six players from his 2018 Patriot League Championship lineup, and a freshman group that features two starters and the team's No. 1 player in the lineup for the season-opener, the Bison have title aspirations in 2018-19.

"We have the talent to win a Patriot League championship, there's no doubt about it," said Binney. "This group has played a lot of terrific golf, but we just haven't been able to put three rounds together at the right time. The competition in the Patriot League has gotten so much better, but I think if we get the right guys peaking at the right time, we can make a run at a title."

Seniors J.P. Raftery, Jubal Early, Connor O'Brien and Ashton Radvansky will be leading that charge. All four did summer internships around the country, so their games are not quite in mid-season form in early September, but Binney is confident that each has the experience and talent to be key contributors once again.

Raftery has put his name into consideration as one of the top players in team history. After finishing as runner-up at the Patriot League Championship in each of his first two seasons, he placed ninth last year at Saucon Valley Country Club. His 71.6 average in the spring of 2017 is a school record, as is his 6-under 204 (67-68-69) at that year's Patriot League Championship. Raftery posted a team-best 74.6 mark last season, and he is going in search for the one item missing from his resume: a league title.

"J.P. was disappointed in his performance at last year's Patriot League Championship, which is saying something since he finished in ninth place," said Binney. "I think he views this year's Patriot Leagues as his to win, and that would really cap off an amazing career here. He is just a terrific player."

O'Brien's 75.4 average in 2017-18 was second-best on the team behind Raftery. O'Brien really got it going late in the fall season with three straight top-10 finishes, with a 72.3 average in those three events at Yale, Bucknell and Lehigh. He then placed T-10^th at the Patriot League Championship in the spring to earn All-Patriot League honors for the first time.

"Connor has really performed well over the last three years," said Binney. "We would like to play better at Patriot Leagues, and I think he breaks through this year. He is a very smart player and knows what he has to do."

Early has been a steady performer for the Bison and has been a regular in the lineup for the last three seasons. He averaged 77.8 last year, with a top finish of T-8^th (72-71) at the Bucknell Invitational.

"Jubal is very consistent," said Binney. "He is always grinding and posting scores that we can use."

Radvansky suffered a wrist injury over the summer and will likely be out of action for most of the fall. One of the team's longest hitters, Radvansky posted a 78.9 average last season and made the Patriot League lineup for the first time.

Bradbeer is the team's lone junior. He is coming off another strong summer, where he finished T-12^th at the Pennsylvania Open. Bradbeer ranked third on the squad with a 75.6 average last season. He opened the Patriot League Championship with a 3-under 69 at Saucon Valley, followed it up with an 81, but then got it back together with a final-round 74 that left him in sixth place.

"Last year Peter played competitively all summer, and he was a bit burned out by the time the fall season started here," said Binney. "This year, he peaked later in the summer with a good showing at the Pennsylvania Open, and he has come back and hit the ground running. I expect him to have a big junior year."

Sophomore Chris Tanabe is coming off an impressive freshman year. He posted a 76. 3 average and was in the lineup for every one of the team's tournaments. He logged two top-20 finishes and a low round of 71.

"Chris had a good rookie year and is coming off a great summer," said Binney. "We expect him to be just as good, if not better, this year."

Carter Cook, Dylan Ford and Jason Lohwater all bring impressive prep and junior credentials to the program. Cook won the team's preseason qualifying tournament, snapping a tie with Raftery heading into the final round by shooting a sensational 66, and he will make his collegiate debut from the No. 1 spot in the lineup.

Lohwater, a Rochester, New York native, will return to his home state for his first career outing at Colgate after finishing fifth in qualifying.

"Carter just never misses by much," said Binney. "His misses usually still end up in the right spot. He manages his game very well and has a good short game. Dylan is a long hitter for his size. He is still figuring out some consistency off the tee, but we hope to get him in the lineup as quickly as possible. And Jason has a nice, easy swing. He does not have to swing hard to hit it a long way. He is a methodical player, but in a good way, and not much seems to bother him."

The Bison will compete in six tournaments this fall, including the annual Bucknell Invitational on Oct. 8-9. The 2019 Patriot League Championship will be back at Colgate on Apr. 27-28.