Espenshade, Politano and Thompson Named to Big Ten Preseason Golfers to Watch List
Sep 10 | Men's Golf
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Big Ten Conference on Wednesday named three Rutgers men's golfers – Bennett Espenshade, Lucas Politano and TJ Thompson – to its 2026-27 Preseason Golfers to Watch list, the conference office announced. The trio headlines a group of standouts from across the league as teams open Big Ten play this fall. The Scarlet Knights kicked off the season hosting the New York Harbor Cup at Bayonne Golf Club last weekend and continue play at the Gopher Invitational this weekend.
Bennett Espenshade | Jr. | Baltimore, Md.
Bennett Espenshade | Jr. | Baltimore, Md.
- Posted a 71.40 stroke average as a sophomore in 2025-26, improving from 73.10 as a freshman, with six rounds in the 60s and 12 rounds under par.
- Tied for ninth at the 2026 Big Ten Championships and posted top-10 finishes at the Steelwood and Colleton River Collegiates.
- 2025 Maryland State Amateur champion and a 2025 U.S. Amateur competitor; entered Rutgers as the No. 1-ranked junior golfer in Maryland.
- Named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2025-26 after a 70.80 stroke average, with seven rounds in the 60s and 11 rounds under par.
- Set Rutgers program records for an 18-hole round (9-under) and a 54-hole tournament (18-under), and earned Big Ten Golfer of the Week honors.
- Runner-up at the Canadian Intercollegiate and reached the NCAA Columbus Regional as an individual; enters the fall as the reigning Vermont Amateur champion and a 2026 U.S. Amateur competitor.
- Joins Rutgers as a graduate transfer from West Florida, where he helped lead the Argonauts to the 2025 NCAA Division II National Championship.
- Carries a career stroke average in the low 70s across three seasons, including a 70.7 mark as a junior that ranked among the top 25 nationally in Division II.
- Two-time GCAA/PING All-America honoree, including Second Team recognition, with a T-6 finish at the NCAA Division II National Championships as a freshman.
Players Mentioned
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