ONTARIO, Canada – Freshman Lucas Politano delivered one of the most impressive performances in Rutgers men's golf history at the Canadian Collegiate this past weekend, where he carded a runner-up finish with a record-setting 198 (-18), just one stroke behind Notre Dame's Calen Sanderson (-19).
Politano posted rounds of 66-69-63, closing with a blistering nine-under 63 in Tuesday's final round. He tallied 22 birdies across the three rounds, including 10 in the finale.
His 198 total not only set the course record at Oviinbyrd Golf Club (Foot's Bay, Ontario) but also established a new Rutgers program record. Politano's 54-hole score eclipsed Chris Gotterup's mark of 199 at the 2019 Fighting Irish Classic, while his final-round 63 tied Gotterup for the lowest individual round in school history.
The first-year Scarlet Knight's effort helped propel Rutgers to a fourth-place team finish at -11 (440-431-430) in the 11-team field.
"I felt like I did everything I needed to do to put myself in a good position to win," Politano said. "I played great golf all week, made a bunch of putts, and hit it well. This is a huge confidence builder for me early in my career. Having this experience under my belt is only going to help me grow."
Politano was one of three Scarlet Knights to place inside the top 20, joining Luke Koenig and Bennett Espenshade. He credited head coach Rob Shutte and assistant coach Patrick Spraggs for keeping him composed throughout the tournament.
"I kind of just got into a state of mind where I was super locked in," Politano said. "Coach and I had a lot of good chemistry. He kept me in the right frame of mind, focused on enjoying the moment and having fun, and that helped me play my best golf."
Shutte praised Politano's performance and poise.
"For this to be a program record is unbelievable," Shutte said. "He was six shots clear of third place. I hope this gives him confidence to keep working hard and stay hungry. As long as he stays humble, he'll be just fine."
Politano highlighted one of his favorite shots of the event early in the final round as the turning point.
"On my first hole of the day, the par-four fourth, I hit a three-iron just short of the green and rolled in a 27-footer for birdie," Politano said. "That gave me momentum right away and set the tone for the rest of the round."
Rutgers' strong showing builds on the momentum from last week, when Jeffrey Zatorski was named Big Ten Golfer of the Week following his individual title in Minnesota.
"I honestly think the success starts with the culture we've built here," Shutte said. "The guys are genuinely happy for one another, and that shows both on and off the course. We even went fishing together this week, and that time away from golf makes us stronger when we're competing."
With the Canadian Collegiate complete, Rutgers will now turn its focus to the Marquette Intercollegiate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, set for Sunday, Oct. 5 through Tuesday, Oct. 7.
