SOUTHWICK – Westfield State senior Matteo Godek (Feeding Hills, Mass./Agawam) won the individual title as the Owls won the 2021 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference team title at the Ranch Golf Club on Wednesday.
Godek carded a 1-over par 73, to finish two strokes ahead of teammate J.J. Newcombe (Bellingham/Blackstone Valley Tech), who finished with a 75.
“Can’t dream of anything more, that’s what I wanted,” said Godek of the win. “The other tournaments are fun to win, but this is the one I was mainly focused on.”
Godek won the MASCAC individual title for the second time in his career, as he was co-medalist in the fall of 2018 as a sophomore.
Westfield State’s 2021 MASCAC Championship men’s golf team: Brandon Smith, Michael Waldman, Individual Champion Matteo Godek, J.J. Newcombe, Kyle DelSignore and Coach Rich Sutter at the Ranch Golf Club in Southwick, Mass. (WESTFIELD STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS PHOTO)
The Owls shot 309 as a team to easily out-distance Worcester State and Springfield College, which both finished 22 strokes back of the Owls at 331. Worcester placed second via the tiebreakers.
Westfield avenged a narrow loss to Springfield in the fall 2019 MASCAC championships with the win, and Westfield claimed their second league title in the last four years with the win.
“It’s great, I’m pumped for the boys and we all played good, everyone showed up to play,” said Godek. “I’m excited just as much for the team win as I am.”
Westfield finished with three all-conference players as sophomore Brandon Smith (Feeding Hills, Mass./Agawam) finished tied for fifth with a 77 to join Godek and Newcombe on the All-Conference team.
Michael Waldman (Billerica, Mass.) carded an 84 to round out the Owls scoring four, with Kyle DelSignore (Attleboro, Mass.) finishing at 87.
Westfield State senior Matteo Godek displays the 2021 MASCAC individual golf title at the Ranch Golf Club on Wednesday. (WESTFIELD STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS PHOTO)
The duo of Godek and Newcombe was tied at 1-over with two holes left to play, but with Godek watching from the 18th tee, Newcombe’s tee shot on the 170-yard par-3 17th found the water.
“On 17 I knew J.J. and I were tied, and he dunked it, and my nerves were through the roof,” said Godek. “I hit a hybrid off the 18th tee, and had further than I thought, about 175 in, and I hit a choked-down seven iron to about 15 feet, and I wasn’t even going for the birdie, I was just going for the two-putt and the par and getting out of there.”
Godek made a pair of birdies on the front nine and finished with three birdies and four bogeys in a steady round.
“First hole I hit a good drive, then hit it into the hazard on my second shot, and I thought, oh boy, this is how the day is going to go,” he said. After that, I just focused on getting it to the 150 marker and play in from there.”
“I hit it close, about two feet, on seven, that was my first birdie and got me started for the day, and then I birdied nine, so I was one under going to the back.”
Godek got to the tournament lead and 2-under with a birdie on 13. “I didn’t look at the scoreboard on my phone like everyone else was doing. I didn’t want to know and I told them ‘don’t tell me.'” – Courtesy of Westfield State University Sports
