Swinging into championship season.
Queen’s men’s and women’s teams competed in the annual Lancer Invitational in Windsor on Oct. 3 and 4. Playing at the Ambassador Golf Club, the Gaels were riding a high finishing second on the men’s side and third on the women’s side the weekend before in Guelph.
Queen’s brought a team of five men, including veterans Luke Macpherson, Sci ’27, Kendrick Webster, Sci ’27, and Cameron Greatrex ’29, and two Gaels rookies in David Ursu, Sci ’28, and Sean Diamond, Sci ’29. The women’s team is made of four athletes: Hannah Lee, Nurs ’29, Gella McDaniel, ArtSci ’27, Marlow Slatter, ArtSci ’27, Anna Crowley, Nurs ’30.
Both teams brought home gold in the two-day event, highlighted by some stellar individual play. Lee led all women with a one under 70 on day one and followed that with a three under 68. McDaniel shot a steady 75 and 74 to finish third. The men were led by Greatrax’s back-to-back rounds of 69 that saw him place second and Ursu’s 71 and 69 for a solid 6th place finish.
Following the last scheduled event of the season, The Journal sat down with Head Coach Jessie Mercer to discuss the season and their upcoming OUA Championship.
Mercer has been impressed with both teams, particularly the men’s side, and how they’ve been able to play solidly as a revolving unit.
“I think one of the biggest differences is the competition internally we have this year,” Mercer said. “It’s been tough to make [the lineup] but it’s been awesome to able to rely on everybody.”
With everyone contributing, there have been a couple mainstays, but none more dominant this year than Ursu, who has won three individual events this season. “He’s been a great addition on and off the course,” Mercer said.
On the women’s side Mercer is similarly impressed and excited for the OUA Championship.
“It’s the first two day event the women have won in the last three years,” Mercer said. “That’s huge for their confidence going forward, knowing they can do it two days in a row going into OUA.”
Mercer touched on Lee and how important it was for her to shoot those low scores.
“It’s really nice to see her get back to the Hannah we know after not coming back the way she left off,” Mercer said. “She’s taken more of a leadership role, as she knows what to expect.”
The OUA championship is a two-day event, held this year in Ottawa from Oct. 16-19.
When asked what to expect, Mercer is faced with reality, with players having experience playing at the same place four years prior.
“It was really cold and really windy and it was kind of awful weather, but I think that’s kind of to be expected for Ottawa in the middle of October.”
The team will travel on Oct. 15 for a practice round before swinging for a chance at a spot at Canadian University and College Golf Championships held in the spring.
Tags
Men's Golf, OUA Golf Championships, women's golf
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