The Dartmouth men’s and women’s golf seasons are underway, despite snowy weather at the start of the term. Both teams have fared well in their tournaments to date, with the women’s team securing a third-place finish in the Rutgers Invitational and the men’s team taking second at the Columbia Autumn Invitational from April 6 to 7.
Sophie Thai ’26 and Penelope Tir ’24 finished the tournament in a tie for ninth place, shooting a 12-over-225.
Women’s golf coach Alex Kirk praised his team’s talent, adding that he believes “this is the best team [he has] ever had, on and off the golf course.”
“I’ve been coaching here for a long time, [and] this is the best chance we’ve ever had [to win the Ivy Championship],” Kirk said.
The team’s success is a direct result of their dedication to indoor training throughout the winter, team member Katherine Sung ’24 said. While Sung said she refined her short game in Leverone Field House during the winter, she said it has been important for the team to finally spend time outside.
“It was nice to just be outside and see the ball fly, making sure that when you’re out there, [you’re] feeling the best about your game,” Sung said.
As the team closes in on their final two events of the season — the Navy Spring Invitational on April 13 and 14 and the Ivy League Championship Stanwich Golf Course in Connecticut from April 19 to 21 — Kirk said the end of the season will be a challenge.
“I think it’s going to be a tough test of golf at [Stanwich], and par’s going to be a good score,” Kirk said. “I don’t think we’ll see anyone going all that low.”
On the men’s side, the team finished 11 out of 14 at the Princeton Invitational on April 6-7. Despite the team’s overall rank, Tyler Brand ’27 set a course record of 10-under-61. He had shot 13-over-84 to start the morning but quickly turned it around to rank 20th for the day.
In the third round on Sunday, Brand suffered a concussion after walking into a low-hanging tree branch and had to withdraw from the tournament. Men’s golf team head coach Rich Parker emphasized how exceptional Brand’s round was and lamented his subsequent injury.
“Tyler’s round was once in a lifetime,” Parker said. “We need the guys at the top of the lineup to give us that good round every day.”
Brand’s concussion comes after a series of injuries on the men’s golf team, Parker added.
“Our captain [Eli Kimche ’25] hadn’t hit a shot until the spring,” Parker said.
Kimche said he was “out of commission” for the entire fall term due to a back injury. Now that Kimche is back on the course, Parker emphasized the importance of strong veteran play down the stretch.
“Despite several of our guys facing injuries, our optimism has guided us in the right direction,” Kimche said. “As we approach the final stretch, our players are gaining confidence, leading to solid performances and showcasing our ability to overcome setbacks.”
As the season draws to a close, the men’s and women’s teams each have two remaining events on their schedules. The women’s team will compete in the Navy Invitational and the Ivy League Championship. The men’s team will travel to the Wiltwyck Golf Club for the ROAR-EE Invitational on April 13 and before concluding their season at the Ivy League Championship in Watchung, N.J. from April 19 to 21.
