MONTGOMERY – In athletics, success often breeds success. The Alabama State men’s golf team has epitomized that saying, winning the last three SWAC championships.
In fact, Alabama State is the center of the SWAC golf universe, as the women’s program has won three of the last four SWAC titles, including two in a row.
The men’s team has achieved another significant milestone for the program, with three players ranked in the Top 50 nationally in scoring. Francis Berthiaume leads the nation, with Branson Ferrier 12th and Andrei Collins 35th.
Francis Berthiaume leads the nation, with Branson Ferrier 12th and Andrei Collins 35th.
“It’s an amazing finish to the fall season,” ASU head coach Dr. Gary Grandison said of the men’s team, which won four tournaments in five events this fall. Alabama State ranks 23rd nationally in scoring average per round at a total of slightly under 286, or an average score of 71.5 per golfer as the top four individual scores are computed per round. “To have two players in the top 15 and three in the top 35 in the country shows we can accommodate top golfers and develop top golfers.”
Among tournaments competed in include wins at Murray State and Tennessee Martin, and a strong showing in the St. Johns tournament just outside New York City.
Berthiaume, a junior from Valleyfield, Quebec Canada, won three of the five events, and finished second in a fourth tournament. He has shot 11 of his 13 rounds at even par or under. Of his two rounds above par, they were exiguously above par, each one shot over.
Berthiaume opened the season with a career-low round of 65 followed by a 68 for an 11-under 133 in the ASU Fall Classic. With the tone set during the opening weekend, no wonder they call him ‘Easy.’ He is averaging a score of 68.38 per round and is sixth nationally with 62 birdies.
Ferrier, who has been the low medalist in each of the past two SWAC Championships, has placed in the top seven in all five events, including two runners-up finishes to Berthiaume and has also posted rounds of even par or better 11 of 13 times.
“I set a goal at the start of the year to shoot under par in every tournament,” said Ferrier, a junior from Barrie, Ontario Canada who is averaging 69.46 per round. His 58 birdies ranked 14th nationally. “I didn’t really think too much about winning every tournament. I just wanted to be more consistent. Taking my mind off of the end result helped me to just play golf and not get mixed up in my thoughts of ‘I can’t win now if I have a bad hole.’ Setting intermediate goals throughout the rounds and tournaments helped me be a lot more consistent.”
Collins, a sophomore from Couva, Trinidad, has posted a score of 70 in five of seven rounds this season. His 71.00 scoring average ranks 35th nationally.
“Their maturity has made a huge difference,” Dr. Grandison said of Berthiaume and Ferrier. “They are recognizing what it takes to play at the highest level of golf. Their focus is more on playing comfortably versus overpowering a course. They are taking what the course gives them, and staying in the moment. I believe in Andrei’s talent, and that he hasn’t peaked yet. I’m excited about their performances as a group. The team has performed well, individually I see the maturity in our athletes, and I hope we continue to grow and peak at the right times.”
Ferrier sees the talent on the roster daily in practice.
“I honestly felt it was just a matter of time,” Ferrier said of the team scoring at the level it has this fall. “Everybody has been playing so well in spurts here and there, and a few of us were able to put it together for a whole semester. It really helped with our schedule to play a full semester of tournaments in six weeks. We are able to stay in form the entire semester.”
The Hornets will return to action in early March at the Texas Southern Invitational in Alexandria, La.
