VCU Golf competes in Wildcat Fall Invitational

Contributing Writer

VCU Golf traveled to Malvern, Pennsylvania to compete in the Wildcat Fall Invitational Sept. 28-30. The event was hosted by Villanova University, with other competing schools including Seton Hall University, Georgetown University, St. John’s University, Appalachian State University and the University of Delaware.

The Invitational consisted of three rounds — round 1 on the 28th, round two the 29th, followed by round 3 on the 30th.

VCU placed fourth out of seven teams with a total score of 875, +23 to par. Appalachian State won the invitational with a score of 773, +9 to par followed by Delaware in second with a score of 780, +12 to par.

Round One

Junior Alston Newsom from Chesapeake, Virginia had a solid outing in the first round. Newsom had five birdies on holes 5 and 8 on the front end and 10, 11 and 16 on the back end. Sachin Kumar had an eagle on 17, also in the first round. The Rams had a total score of 299 in round one.

Round Two

In the second round, Newsom, along with freshmen Adrian Vagberg and Clifford Foster, all had four birdies. Vagberg, from Sollentuna, Sweden, had birdies on 5 and 9 on the front end and 17 and 18 on the back end. Newsom’s birdies came on 7 and 8 on the front end and 17 and 18 on the back end. ing, media days, and now I’m working parttime at the Richmond Times-Dispatch.”

Ian Peng, a freshman from Chang Hua, Taiwan, had three birdies in round 2. Foster had a birdie on 3 on the front end and on 10, 11 and 17 on the back end. VCU had a total score of 287 in round 2.

Richmond Times-Dispatch sports editor Michael Phillips reached out to Hauari prior to his internship at the Courier-Journal, but Hauari fulfilled that commitment before returning to the offer from Phillips.

Hauari is currently a part-time sports producer at the newspaper, where he started the week after returning from Louisville in August.

“It’s been kind of a whirlwind summer-fall, but it’s been worth it,” Hauari said.

While at the Richmond publication, Hauari has had the ability to cover the Washington Redskins and college football. Now, he has his sights set on more opportunities. He covered the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour women’s bowling championship in late September at Richmond Raceway. He has applied to be the University of Virginia beat writer at The Daily Progress in Charlottesville, having been a fan of Cavalier athletics since a young age.

“I’m hoping that pans out because I can’t think of a job I’d want more than that one,” Hauari said.

He has also been in talks with Gannett, the media company that owns USA Today. The Courier-Journal is a USA Today paper, and Hauari’s boss — who worked in Wisconsin for 12 years — informed Hauari that a job covering the Green Bay Packers may be in his future.

“I also applied for a producer role in Wisconsin, as well,” Hauari said. “I’m just applying, throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks.”

Despite the whirlwind of applications, positions and locations that have surrounded Hauari the past several months, he stays focused on his passion for writing and love for sports.

“I’m trying to keep myself busy and trying to stay writing,” Hauari said.

Round Three

Newsom, Kumar and Peng all had four birdies in round 3. Both Kumar and Peng had a very nice stretch from holes 6 through 8 on the front end, getting a birdie in each one. Virginia Beach freshman Cam Barackman also had birdies in rounds 7 and 8. The Rams had a total score of 289 in round three.

The Black and Gold will compete in the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate in Jonesborough, Tennessee Oct. 12-14. They will go up against Pennsylvania State University, the University of Tennessee and Coastal Carolina University, among others.

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