No. 14 ranked Johnnies look towards conference tournament

The St. John’s golf team returned to the course this past weekend for the Twin Cities Classic, which was hosted by Gustavus Adolphus. They ended up finishing sixth out of 17 teams, with Carleton, Bethel, Nebraska Wesleyan and both of Gustavus’ teams finishing ahead of them. The Johnnies came in ranked No. 14 in the Bushnell/Golfweek Division III Coaches’ Top 25 poll.

With the Twin Cities Classic in the books, the Johnnie golf team is looking ahead to this coming weekend. The 2024 MIAC Championship is being held from Saturday to Monday at Braemar G.C. in Edina. Whichever MIAC team wins the championship gains an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship, which is scheduled for May 20-23 in Penfield, N.Y.

The 2023-24 Johnnies shattered their personal scoring-average record with a mark of 291.6 in 27 rounds. However, the Johnnies came into the 2024-25 season with 16 golfers on their roster, eight of whom are first-years. Head coach Chris Howe, in his second season as head coach, reflected on his squad’s regular season performance.

“The season has been good so far,” Howe said via email. “We have a young team, and we are making strides every day. Our standard is competing and winning. This never changes.”

Losing four of their top five golfers to graduation last spring has been a tough challenge to overcome, but senior Andrew Boemer feels the younger guys have started to play at a high level.

“It’s taken some time for the younger guys to get their feet under them, but I think now we’re in a great place,” Boemer said via email. “There’s a lot of young talent on the team, so it’s just a matter of getting them prepared to play free so that they can reach their potential.”

Boemer finished the Twin Cities Classic with a three-day total of 215, or one over par, which placed him tied for second place among the 100 golfers participating. He believes that the golf team is in the best place they have been all fall.

“I think we’re in the best spot we have been in all year,” Boemer said. “It’s just a matter of clicking at the right time.”

Junior Tim Fultz, who tied for 17th in the Twin Cities Classic with a 224, voiced similar hopes for his team this coming weekend.

“I do feel our team is prepared for success,” Fultz said via email. “I think our best golf is ahead of us and we are going to peak at the right time.”

As one of three seniors on the team, Boemer has seen the growth of the younger golfers and truly enjoyed watching them grow.

“I think my favorite memory of this year is seeing the younger guys get more comfortable and shoot some good scores,” Boemer said. “The transition to college, while playing high level golf, is not easy.”

Despite the upcoming challenge of high-level golf at the conference championship, Howe insisted there would be no changes in preparations heading into the weekend.

“Nothing changes. We show up and we go to work,” Howe said. “I always remind our players that greatness is in them. I tell them to play big and dream big.”

Boemer has seen the greatness Howe speaks of. The St. John’s golf team won the MIAC championship three straight times from 2020-22, with Boemer being part of two of those teams. As he begins what might be his last rounds of golf here at St. John’s, Boemer reflected on this past season and is hopeful to experience one of his personal best feelings ever.

“Accomplishing a common goal with the people you have worked so hard with is one of the best feelings in the world,” Boemer said. “I’m hopeful I get to experience it with a new group of guys this year.”