For the first time since the fall of 2017, the Rutgers University Golf Course hosted a collegiate tournament. The Rutgers women’s team faced off against teams from the University of Albany, Dartmouth, Seton Hall, Georgetown, Monmouth, Sacred Heart, Lehigh, and St. John’s in a three-round, 54-hole competition held on Saturday, April 7, and Sunday, April 8.

Normal tournament preparation was disrupted as heavy rain pummeled the state for three days, leaving the course waterlogged with over three inches of rainfall. The maintenance crew, supported by pro shop staff, worked quickly and had the course ready for play in just 36 hours.

“There were some challenges getting the course prepared for tournament play. It is still April, which is essentially winter from an agronomy standpoint,” said Robert Carita, Assistant Golf Professional at the Rutgers Golf Course. “We were double-cutting and mowing greens and were able to get the course in tournament condition.”

“The return of the RU Invitational at Rutgers Golf Course has happened because of the advances in course conditions and improvements by course superintendent Grant Bezek and his staff,” said Carita. “They brought it up to a level that can host top schools in the area and provide an adequate test.”

The Scarlet Knights prevailed at home, beating the second-place team by 26 strokes. Senior Rikke Nordvik earned medalist honors in one of the final events of her collegiate career, made even more special by the presence of her parents, who flew in from Norway to watch her play.

For more details about the win, visit: https://scarletknights.com/news/2024/4/7/womens-golf-wins-rutgers-invitational.aspx

Featured in the IP&O Newsletter, May 2024.