My Best Round: Matthew Stafford
Throughout the month of February, members of the Bryant men's golf team will describe their best collegiate round. In our first installment, sophomore Matthew Stafford (Suffield, Conn.) recaps his second round at the Hartford Hawks Invitational in September.
Name: Matthew Stafford
Tournament: Hartford Hawks Invitational (Sept. 18-19, 2017)
Course: Bull's Bridge Golf Club (Simsbury, Conn.)
Score: 68 (-4)
How was the weather that day?
The day was grueling because we were playing 36 holes and there was a weather delay in the morning. I shot 74 in the morning and really wasn't playing too well. The second round gave me a fresh start. Although I didn't take advantage of it right away, as I was plus-one through three holes until I turned it around and made six birdies and one bogey over the final 15 holes.
When did you know it was going to be a good day?
I started on the back so my ninth hole was the 18th. I knew it would be a good day when I had a 220-yard uphill shot into the par-5 18th. My 4-iron usually only goes 210 yards but I was feeling good and I hit it right on the green, two putted for birdie and turned in 34 (-2).
What part of your game was working best?
Putting. I calculated my strokes gained putting after the round and it was +2.8, meaning on average, my putting was 2.8 strokes better than the average tour pro.
Was there a hole during the round that was key to your success that day?
Darkness was setting in and I missed a par-3 green in the dark, hit an average chip and was left with a testing 10-foot left to right putt I was able to make in the dark.
The Bryant University men's golf team begins its 2018 spring season March 5-6 in the Lonnie Barton Invitational at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida, the site of the 2018 Northeast Conference Championship.
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