Bird's Eye View - 2019 Men's Golf

With 16 Empire 8 Championships under its belt including nine in a row, the St. John Fisher College men’s golf team was poised to continue its run in 2019-20 before having its season cut short due to COVID-19. Despite this, the Cardinals competed in four tournaments during the fall and closed out the fall in second place at the Empire 8 Championship.

In all, four were named All-Conference including senior Colin McGaugh who was named the Empire 8 Player of the Year.

Scroll through to relive some of the team’s most memorable moments from last season:

McGaugh Under Par as Men's Golf Returns to Action

Fresh off its ninth consecutive Empire 8 Championship last spring, the St. John Fisher College men's golf team opened up its new campaign on Friday as the Cardinals played 36 holes at the par-72 Timber Banks Golf Club in the opening day of the annual St. John Fisher College Invitational.

Fisher sits in second place through 36 holes with a combined team score of 656 (+80) while the Oswego State Lakers are in first at +58.  Hobart rounded out the team scoring at +89 overall.

Senor Colin McGaugh, who qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship in the offseason, leads the field at two-under through 36 holes.  After shooting even par in the morning, McGaugh was three-under through the first four holes before making the turn at -2.  From there, the senior carried his momentum in the back nine with seven pars and a birdie to end the round with a 70.

Newcomer Peter Francomano is in 11th place after carding a 36-hole total of 167 (+23) while Chase Robbins is in sole possession of 13th place at +28.

Men's Golf Finishes in Second Place at SJFC Invitational

The St. John Fisher College men's golf team finished in second place overall as the Cardinals competed in the St. John Fisher College Invitational at the par-72 Timber Banks Golf Club.  Overall, Fisher finished the 54-hole tournament with a combined team score of +117 while Oswego State finished in first place at +91.

Senior Colin McGaugh started and finished the day in sole possession of first place after the Hamilton native carded a final round 79 (+7) to put him at five-over for the weekend.  McGaugh, who was under par through 36 holes, recorded two birdies on the front nine before finishing his round with eight pars on the back nine.

Peter Francomano was 11th overall in the tournament with a three-round score of +35 while Deion Shepherd shaved 11 strokes off Saturday's round to finish the day at +4 and +36 in total – good for 12th place on the leaderboard.

Chase Robbins finished the day at 14-over and captured 13th place overall with a three-round mark of +42.

Men's Golf Tees off at Division III Fall Preview

The St. John Fisher College men's golf team was back in action on Saturday as the Cardinals played 36 holes at PGA National as part of the NCAA Division III Fall Preview.  After two rounds, Fisher sits in 18thplace with a combined team score of 678 (+102).
 
Senior Colin McGaugh is tied for 68thplace as the Hamilton native sits at +17 through 36 holes.  McGaugh shot a second-round 78 (+6).  Deion Shepherd is in sole possession of 84thplace at +27 while Peter Francomano and Michael Dugan are tied for 85that +31. 

Men's Golf Wraps Up Play at PGA National

The St. John Fisher College men's golf team shaved five strokes off its score on Sunday as the Cardinals finished in 18th place overall at the NCAA Division III Fall Preview at PGA National.  Over 54 holes, Fisher owned a combined team score of 1003 (+139).  Emory College took home the title at +9 while Illinois Wesleyan finished in second place at 17-over.

Colin McGaugh was the top finisher for Fisher as the senior climbed 17 spots on the leaderboard to tie for 51st place overall with a three-round score of +19.  McGaugh had four birdies on the final round and wrapped up the day with a 74 (+2). 

Deion Shepherd was 84th in the standings at +38, which included a final round 83 while Chase Robbins and Peter Francomano tied for 87th place at +46.  Michael Dugan was 89th overall with a 54-hole score of +49.

McGaugh Tied for Eighth as Men's Golf Plays in Mason-Dixon Collegiate Invite

The St. John Fisher College men's golf team returned to action on Saturday as the Cardinals took part in the Mason-Dixon Collegiate Invite at par-72 The Bridges Golf Club.  As a team, Fisher is in 14th place (+31) after carding a combined team score of 319 through 18 holes. 

McDaniel College is in the lead after the first round at +8 while York College (Pa.) is in second and one stroke back.  Kenyon College and Gettysburg College are tied for third in the team standings at +14.

Senior Colin McGaugh is tied for eighth place on the leaderboard after the Hamilton native carded an opening round 74 (+2).  Peter Francomano is tied for 62nd at +9 while Deion Shepherd and Andrew Card are tied for 70th with an 18-hole mark of 82 (+10).

Men's Golf Finishes 13th at Mason-Dixon Collegiate Invite

After beginning the day in 14th place, the St. John Fisher College men's golf team shaved three strokes off of Saturday's score to finish in 13th place on Sunday at the par-72 Bridges Golf Club as part of the Mason-Dixon Collegiate Invite.  Host McDaniel College won the 36-hole tournament with a two-day score of 593 (+17) while York College (Pa.) was second at +28.  Goucher College finished in third place and had a 36-hole total of +31.

Fisher, which had a combined team score of +59, was paced by senior Colin McGaugh who finished the final round at +3.  McGaugh was +5 for the weekend and tied for fifth place on the individual leaderboard.

Andrew Card and Peter Francomano finished the event tied for 57th place after the duo was +16 overall while Deion Shepherd wrapped up the weekend in a tie for 75th place with a score of +22.

McGaugh Named Golfer of the Week by Empire 8

McGaugh shot five over par for the two-day Mason-Dixon Collegiate Invite this past weekend to earn a tie for fifth place on the individual leader board. The senior was the top finisher for the Cardinals as they placed 13th as a team. 

Men's Golf Three Back After Opening Round of the Empire 8 Championship

The St. John Fisher College men's golf team fired a combined team score of 317 on Saturday as the first round of the Empire 8 Fall Championship commenced at the par-72 Seven Oaks Golf Club.  Overall, Fisher, which has won 16 Empire 8 titles including the last nine, is tied for the second place after 18 holes with Oswego State at +29.  Utica College leads the six-team field at +26

Senior Colin McGaugh paced Fisher and is in sole possession of fourth place after a pair of birdies on the back nine put him at +4 (76) for the day.  Peter Francomano is tied for fifth place on the leaderboard at +7 after three birdies on the day.

Andrew Card, Michael Dugan and Chase Robbins are all tie for ninth place as the trio sits at +9 heading into the Sunday's round.

McGaugh Wins Empire 8 Fall Championship as Men's Golf Sits in Second Place

Following the second round of the Empire 8 Fall Championship, the St. John Fisher College men's golf team sits in second place with a combined team score of 632 at the par-72 Seven Oaks Golf Club.  Utica College currently leads the field after 36 holes with a combined mark of +49 – just seven shots ahead of the Cardinals who have won the conference championship in each of the last nine seasons and 16 times overall.  SUNY Oswego rounded out the top three at +66.

Overall, Colin McGaugh won the fall championship as the Hamilton native finished at +6 on his home course – just one stroke ahead of the runner-up.  After finishing Saturday's round at +4, McGaugh shaved two strokes off his score and completed Sunday's final round with a 74 (+2). 

Andrew Card tied for seventh place in the fall championship with a two-round score of 160 (+16) while Peter Francomano and Michael Dugan tied for ninth place on the leaderboard at +17 overall.  Deion Shepherd finished in sole possession of 15th place after carding a final round 83 to finish at +21.

McGaugh Named to PING All-Region Team

The Golf Coaches Association of America in conjunction with PING unveiled the first wave of postseason recognition earlier this week with senior Colin McGaugh being named to the Mid-Atlantic All-Region team following the 2019-20 season.

Now a two-time All-Region selection, McGaugh, who was one of 96 Division III players honored and just 15 student-athletes from across the Mid-Atlantic Region to be lauded, played in four tournaments overall.  The Hamilton native posted two wins in the fall including a first place showing in the Empire 8 Fall Championship where he shot a 76 (+4) and a 74 (+2) to finish the 36-hole championship at six-over-par.

Over 10 rounds this season, McGaugh led Fisher in score versus par at +3.5 while his average score of 75.5 was tops on the roster by nearly eight strokes.

The senior finished at par or better twice overall including a season-opening 72 (E) at the St. John Fisher Invitational before bettering that performance the following morning with a second-round 70 (-2).

The Cardinals entered the season having posted nine consecutive Empire 8 Championships and 16 in program history before the season was cut short due to COVID-19. 

McGaugh Named Men's Golfer of the Year as Empire 8 Releases All-Conference Honorees

Colin McGaugh of the St. John Fisher College men's golf team continued to rack up honors on Friday as the Hamilton native was named the Empire 8 Player of the Year following an abbreviated 2019-20 season.  The conference also released its All-Conference recipients with Andrew Card, Michael Dugan and Peter Francomano being among those honored.  The announcement marks the 13th time in its storied history that Fisher has boasted the conference's top individual honor.

McGaugh, who was named All-Region by the Golf Coaches Association of America in conjunction with PING last week, posted two wins in the fall including a first place showing in the Empire 8 Fall Championship where he shot a 76 (+4) and a 74 (+2) to finish the 36-hole championship at six-over-par.

The 2016-17 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, McGaugh led Fisher in score versus par at +3.5 over 10 rounds this year while his average score of 75.5 was tops on the roster by nearly eight strokes.  The Hamilton native was also named First-Team All-Conference for the third time in his career.

The senior, who was named All-Region twice over the last four seasons, finished at par or better twice overall including a season-opening 72 (E) at the St. John Fisher Invitational before bettering that performance the following morning with a second-round 70 (-2).

Card was named Second-Team All-Conference for the first time in his career after the senior finished tied for seventh at the conclusion of the Empire 8 Fall Championship with a 36-hole score of 79 (+7).  Card competed in seven tournaments overall this fall and averaged 84.0 per round. 

Dugan was also named Second-Team All-Empire 8 on Friday following a ninth place showing at the Empire 8 Fall Championship.  The Rochester native played 10 rounds on the year and carded an average score of 83.6.  His best performance came in the team's season-opener at the St. John Fisher Invitational when he shot an 80 (+8) en route to a fourth place finish.

A newcomer on the team this year, Francomano tied for ninth on the Fall Championship's leaderboard at +17.  Francomano ranked second on the team in average score at 83.4 while his 11.4 strokes versus par was also the second best on the team.  Francomano competed in 10 rounds overall in the fall with his best showing coming in the opening round of the championship with a 79 (+7).

Finally, Deion Shepherd was named the conference's Sportsman of the Year. The Empire 8 Conference emphasizes that "competing with honor and integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete's experience in conjunction with an institution's educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportsmen.

The Cardinals entered the season having posted nine consecutive Empire 8 Championships and 16 in program history before the season was cut short due to COVID-19.