HENNIKER, N.H. - The New England College men's golf team kicked off their 2025 season at home with the NEC Invitational held at the Country Club of New Hampshire in North Sutton, New Hampshire on Sunday, with the team placing third out of five teams.
A rainy morning in North Sutton gave way to a cloudy but damp noon tee time for the first group which included senior Graham Hassan (Pinckney, Mich.). Hassan recorded a 41 (+5) on the front nine, which was good for fourth of the four golfers in his group, but the senior rebounded in a big way on the back nine. Hassan birdied 10 and 16 before nailing an eagle on the par-five 18 to close out the back-half of the course with a stellar 34 (-2). Hassan's final tally of a 75 (+3) was the best of his group and good for a share of first place. He would fall in a one-hole playoff to Salem State's Michael Murphy.
Sophomore Vesse-Wincent Lampen (Espoo, Finland) headlined the second tee group, and Vesse shot a steady 38 (+2) on the front nine with birdies on holes three and five. Lampen added one more birdie on the back nine for a 40 (+4) to finish with a 78 (+6). He would finish tied for seventh place on the individual leaderboard.
Sophomore Bryce Sturm (Lake in the Hills, Ill.) was sent off in the third tee group and matched Lampen's 38 (+2) on the front nine with a birdie on the fourth hole. Sturm submitted a 41 (+5) on the back nine to finish with a 79 (+7) for the day which was good for 12th.
Sophomore Dalton Gordon (Boscawen, N.H.) rounded out NEC's team score by combining a 42 (+6) on the front nine with a 41 (+5) on the back nine for an 83 (+11). Freshman Emil Elias (Ekerö, Sweden) shot an 86 (+14) in his first collegiate round for NEC, scoring a 42 (+6) on the front nine and a 44 (+8) on the back.
NEC's team score, which is comprised of its four lowest scores, ended at 315. Salem State took home first place with 311 and Southern Maine earned second with 314. NEC just edged out Keene State who scored 316 while Worcester State came in fifth with 349.
Competing as individuals, junior Jack Herron (Lake in the Hills, Ill.) shot an 85 (+13) while freshman Shane Helman (Parma, Ohio) registered an 86 (+14) in his first college action.
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