GolfNewsRI

The University of Rhode Island Golf team has announced its schedule for the 2023 fall season. 

“We’re excited about the schedule and the golf courses we’ll be playing. We open at the 1912 Club, where we finished second a year ago. It is a really fun golf course for a college tournament, especially the final few holes,” said URI head coach Gregg Burke. 

Rhody opens the season on September 16-17 at the Temple Invitational, a tournament they finished in second out of 15 schools last season. 

After that, URI will go to Yale’s Macdonald Cup from September 23-24 and then go to GreatHorse for the UConn Invitational from October 1-3. 

It will be Rhody’s first appearance in the Macdonald Cup since 2013. 

“Going back to the Macdonald Cup is really in our DNA. URI has been playing there since its inception, and it will be a treat to play the best college-owned golf course in the country,” said Burke. 

As for the UConn Invitational, Rhody finished third there last season with Brandon Gillis taking individual honors. 

The final two events of the fall season will be the Sacred Heart Fall Classic on October 15-16 and then the Nassau Invitational on October 23-24. 

“While a number of our players have played Great River Golf Club, some have not, so going to the Fall Classic will be interesting. It is a terrific test. We finish the season at Nassau Country Club, which has hosted two USGA Men’s Amateur Championships, a USGA Women’s Amateur and will play host to the Junior Ryder Cup in 2025. Going to such a classic Long Island venue is the perfect end to the season,” added Burke. 

Rhody Golf in 23-24 

In the upcoming season, the Rams will be led by graduate student Bryson Richards, who made the PING Northeast All-Region Team last year and is coming off a win in the Vermont Amateur just a month or so ago. 

Rhody will also seek contributions from sophomore Aidan O’Donovan and senior Geronimo Narizzano. 

Incoming freshman Tony Liu and Josiah Tong will play key roles on the team as well. 

“Obviously, Bryson is our best player at the start but two of the newcomers, Tony Liu (China) and Josiah Tong (Canada) will really push him. And that’s before we even consider Aidan O’Donovan, who has unlimited potential. Geronimo Narizzano (Argentina) had a nice second semester for us a year ago and he is trending towards the form he showed in finishing second in the NJCAA Championship a couple years ago.”  

Burke concludes, “This team really has to define itself. It will have some experience but will also have at least a couple newcomers in the lineup. It may be our most international starting group as three are not from the USA.”