Penn men’s golf began its October with a journey abroad to compete in the historic St. Andrews Links Collegiate. In Scotland, the Quakers played on hallowed golf grounds, something the whole team recognized the significance of. 

“Playing [holes seventeen and eighteen] in a tournament environment and walking over the bridge was really cool. A lot of players get to play at St. Andrews on the Old Course, but not many actually get to compete there, and so having that experience was really neat and something we’ll all remember forever,” senior Hayden Adams said.

After traveling back from across the pond, Penn men’s golf came back to Philadelphia on Oct. 29 to compete in the Big 5 Championship.

Ending in Elverson, Pa.

The Big 5 Championship is a showdown at Stonewall Links Old Course between all six Division I golf teams in the Philadelphia area. Stonewall Links has been home to many major golf events, such as the Philadelphia Open, and served as a host for U.S. Open qualifiers. In addition to tournament host Temple, Penn also faced golfers from Drexel, La Salle, Saint Joseph’s, and reigning champion Villanova. 

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Unlike many of the Quakers’ previous tournaments this season, the Big 5 Championship is decided by a single 18-hole round. The team with the fewest strokes at the end of the round takes home the title. 

Ultimately, the round did not go Penn’s way, as the Quakers shot 33 over par to place sixth. Saint Joseph’s won the championship this year, shooting just 17 strokes over par.

The Quakers did manage to have some standout moments. Sophomore Arjun Caprihan had yet another strong performance to close out his fall campaign. Caprihan started the first nine by shooting a 39. In the second nine, he improved to 37, just two strokes over par. 

“I struggled early on that front nine. I started really slow, but the golf course was playing pretty tough, and I knew that coming into it. So I just tried to kind of stay the ship and maybe play a little better on the back nine, which I wish I did a little bit of a better job at,” Caprihan said.

In the end, Caprihan’s perseverance paid off. He finished tied for fifth with a score of 76 shots (+6).

Penn’s three remaining counting scorers also ended in ties. 

Junior Ryan Chang had an extremely consistent match. On both the first and second nine, Chang shot four bogeys. He ended both halves at 39, making his final score 78. Chang’s eight-over-par finish earned him a tie for 17th place.

Freshman Sean Curran held his own in his first Big 5, shooting a 79 (+9). Despite two double bogeys, Curran recovered with two birdies for 22nd, tied with golfers from Villanova and Drexel.

Rounding out Penn’s top four was senior Max Fonseca, who shot an 80. Fonseca kept pace with his teammates by shooting a 40 in both nines. Fonseca tied with two other players for the 25th spot.

“I think the Big 5 is always a lot of fun,” Caprihan said. “I don’t think our team finished as well as we hoped, but it’s definitely enjoyable to play against the other five Philly schools.”

Spring Forward

The Big 5 Championship marked Penn’s fourth and final tournament of the fall season. Despite not performing as it had hoped in the fall, the team is looking ahead to the spring season. According to Adams, the Quakers are already working to improve.

“I’d say I need to putt a little better. That was kind of the issue in the fall. So working through that with my putting coach back home, in the team room, and definitely over winter break,” Adams said.

In the spring, the Quakers will start their season in Puerto Rico at the Palmas del Mar Collegiate from Feb. 12-14, 2027. The Palmas del Mar Collegiate is a three-day, 54-hole tournament held at the country club of the same name. After their time in Humacao, Puerto Rico, the Quakers will have three more tournaments, including travel to Arizona, before the Ivy League Championships in April 2027.

“I’m looking forward to the last Ivy event,” Adams said. “That’s always a good way to kind of close out the year, so I think the spring schedule is really strong, and I’m definitely looking forward to it.”