Simply put, the Western Mustangs’ men’s golf team was deep and dominant throughout their fall season, which culminated in an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship win in mid-October at Loch March Golf and Country Club in Ottawa.
At the provincial university event, the Western men shot a two-day total of 587, finishing an impressive 14 strokes ahead of both the Ottawa Gee-Gees and Queen’s Gaels, who tied for second place. The five Mustang golfers who brought home the win included Charles Fitzsimmons, Mac Carter, John Boncoddo, Alex Purdom and Patrick Carlton.
In his final OUA tournament, Fitzsimmons won the individual title, shooting a 142 (2 under) over the two-day event, one stroke ahead of Ottawa’s Gabriel Gingras. Carter was three shots back (145) to finish fifth overall and earn first-team all-star honours, while Boncoddo and Purdom tied for 22nd with matching scores of 153. Carlton shot a 157 to finish tied for 36th place.
“We have never had a team like this. The toughest part was choosing which five to take to the finals,” said the team’s head coach, Jim Waite. “We entered six tournaments this fall and won them all. And in each of those tournaments we used five different guys. We have nine players who can go deep at any tournament.”
Said Western professor Jim Weese, the former Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences: “I can’t remember a more dominant team in my long association with OUA golf. Better still, based on my discussions with the guys [this fall], they’re a great group of gentlemen … polite and gracious. Along with their coaches, they should be very proud.”
Contributions by Jim Waite
