Addison Davenport ’15 paced around the green, surveying his four-foot par putt. After starting his match by losing three straight holes, he had rallied back to all-square by the end of the eighth hole. The putt rolled true and was quickly followed by a fiery fist pump from Davenport.
The putt secured a victory in Davenport’s match along with the best ball match on the final hole, earning two crucial points for Andover. Davenport’s putt provided a third of Andover’s point total in its 6-3 victory against Holderness.
Head Coach Brian D. Faulk ’00 identified Davenport as the standout performer. “[Davenport] rallied from three down to win his match and secure two critical points,” said Faulk.
Andover Golf struggled once again to combat the high-speed winds in its match at Campbell’s Scottish Highlands, a hilly course in Salem, NH. Golfers had difficulty hitting greens as the swirling winds would wreak havoc on shots with a high trajectory.
Ryan Simard ’16, who played in his second career match, said, “The conditions were pretty tough. There were some really strong winds that made it tough to hit the greens.”
Alexa Tsay ’17, who plays as the second seed on Andover’s ladder, also struggled in the windy conditions. She said, “I had trouble warming up, so I was down two after two holes. After that, I was missing putts within ten feet.”
Alexa Tsay’s performance was uncharacteristic, as she was one of the few golfers who excelled in the high winds in her last matchup against Tabor.
With many players struggling to find a rhythm, Andover’s veteran players stepped up. Captain Tyler Tsay ’15 captured a crucial victory as the top seed, and Ellie Blum ’15, who played as the third seed, dropped a par putt essential to the team victory on the final hole.
It seemed as though every member of the Andover team rallied on the final hole. Newcomer Drew DiGeronimo ’15 secured a victory with a critical up-and-down conversion on the ninth hole, and sealed it with a four-foot par putt.
The team recognizes there is a lot of room for improvement. With many tough matches and tournaments on the horizon, it will be crucial for Andover to hit its stride soon. Faulk said, “[It was a] good start but we need to improve. We’re on to Proctor.”
Andover will square off against Proctor on next Wednesday.
