The UConn men’s golf team played the inaugral Metropolis Intercollegiate in White Plains, N.Y. UConn finished in fourth place, with a score of 878 (+38). Photo courtesy of @cgoode_1 on Instagram
The University of Connecticut men’s golf team began its 2025-26 campaign with a fourth-place finish at the inaugural Metropolis Intercollegiate.
The event was hosted by Columbia University at Metropolis Country Club in White Plains, New York on Monday and Tuesday. The 6,827-yard par 70 course previously hosted a qualifier for the 2024 U.S. Senior Open.
The 12-team field featured several programs that reached NCAA regionals last season.
The University of Richmond and North Dakota State University finished in a tie for first place shooting a combined 867 (+27) through three rounds. North Dakota fourth-year Rylin Petry was the tournament’s individual winner, finishing the tournament at +1.
Sienna University entered the second day of competition in first place over the field. Sienna collapsed in round three, shooting a +22, which allowed North Dakota and Richmond to knock them down the podium.
UConn finished tied with host Columbia at 878 (+38) total team score. The event marked the Huskies best season-opening tournament finish since 2021, when they finished in second place at the Doc Gimmler Invitational.
UConn men’s golf player Bradley Sawka at the Metropolis Intercollegiate. Sawka finished in fifth place with a score of +5 at this tournament. Photo courtesy of @uconnmgolf on Instagram
Third-year Bradley Sawka led the UConn effort, finishing in fifth place individually with a +5.
The tournament was Sawka’s third career top-10 finish. Sawka was Connecticut’s most consistent golfer, turning in a 71 (+1) and 72 (+2) on Monday before capping off the event with another 72 (+2) on Tuesday.
UConn had two players finish in the individual top 20 alongside Sawka. Second-year Caden Blanchette finished in a tie for eighth place at +7, earning his first career top-10 individual finish. Fourth-year Connor Goode shot a +10 in a four-way tie for 17th place. Second-year Matthew Costello came in 35th place with a +16
A team score of 286 (+6) in Monday’s second round propelled UConn to the top five finish. Blanchette and Costello both scored 71’s (+1). They each earned three birdies on the back nine to finish in the top-10 for the round.
Sawka opened up his second round with an eagle on hole one. The 540-yard downhill par five is the second longest hole on the course. Blanchette, Costello and Goode all tallied birdies on the hole as well.
UConn finished ahead of its Big East rivals St. John’s University who came in sixth place with an 881 (+41). The Huskies fell to the Red Storm on their last trip to New York at The Doc Gimmler in September last year.
UConn will be back in action on Sept. 20 at The Goat, hosted by the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
