To say that the Washington and Lee men’s golf team had a great fall season would be an understatement — on par (pun intended) with saying Tiger Woods is good at golf. Not only did the team win their final tournament of the fall season by seven strokes, but they also ascended to the top of the Division III coaches poll.
The Generals have also secured a spot as No. 1 in Clippd Scoreboard Rankings for DIII men’s golf.
The Generals broke the school records for single-day (-16) and 54 hole scoring (-23 and -30). Since two records weren’t enough, both Elias Malakoff, ’25, and Johnathan McEwen, ’27, shot 11 under par for the lowest 54 hole scores in program history.
But just how good is the Washington and Lee men’s golf team? Let’s look at the numbers. The team’s starters averaged a score of 70.7 per round for the season, which, for those who don’t golf, is under par. Their average is lower than that of the University of Virginia men’s team, a top five team in Division I, which averaged 71.05 per round.
Virginia’s number one player, Ben James, one of the top amateurs in the world, is averaging 69.5 per round — three-tenths of a stroke more than McEwen, Washington and Lee’s No. 1 player. McEwen is playing so well that during his last five rounds, his handicap index (+5.2) is unbelievably close to the PGA tour average (+5.4).
While all of that doesn’t necessarily mean that the Generals would beat the Cavaliers on the same course or that McEwen is better than some pros, it does mean that the Generals have a real chance at the first NCAA National Championship in program history, according to W&L’s Athletic Department archives.
Although many factors have contributed to the success of the team, the three newcomers, Tim Kaufman, ’28, Alex Holzapfel, ’28, and Charlie Krasnewich, ’28, have each played vital roles this season, according to other players. “They have fundamentally changed our program,” said Malakoff. “The freshmen all have the game to help this team win a national championship.”
“They are competitors,” McEwen said.
After initial qualifying rounds, Kaufman and Krasnewich secured starting spots and have had success in all three fall tournaments. Kaufman has shown rock-solid consistency, with his last eight rounds at 74 and below. Krasnewich, who has demonstrated the ability to go low, already has a 66 under his belt. Besides Kaufman and Krasnewich, the other three starters are McEwen, Malakoff and Will Braxton, ’25.
Another strength of the Generals’ team is, according to Krasnewich, “team chemistry.” Malakoff agreed.
“We are spending a lot of time together away from the golf course,” Malakoff said. “It has brought us closer, and we are more trusting of each other. I think that we are taking greater care to be responsible for one another.”
The Washington and Lee men’s golf team has been characterized by its length off the tee as well. According to Kaufman, they are the longest-hitting team in DIII, with every player carrying the ball over 280 yards off the tee.
“Our biggest strength is our ball-striking, which helps our team compete at every tournament we play,” Braxton said.
During the season, the Generals made it clear that their trajectory points upward. First, they finished No. 4 at the NCAA championships preview, a lackluster finish by the team’s current standards. A week later, the team finished second at the Gate City Invitational ahead of Methodist, and in their third event, the Generals finally came out on top.
“We were fortunate enough to win at one of the strongest tournaments we play in all year, the Golfweek October Classic, which was an awesome experience,” Braxton said.
After returning to campus, the team enjoyed the satisfaction of being number one in the country.
When asked what the ranking meant to him, Braxton said, “Being ranked number one is a testament to all the hard work the guys have been putting in…It is a nice recognition of our accomplishments thus far.”
Amid the celebration, the team is not surprised by their accomplishment.
“In the preseason, we were ranked behind teams that I knew we’re better than,” Kaufman said. “I have realized very quickly that we have five to six players on our team that can win a tournament on any given weekend, and I can tell you confidently that no other team has the depth that we do.”
Krasnewich added that the ranking provides “a challenge to be better.”
“Big picture: our goal is winning the National Championship in May. Instead of being locked in on the big picture, we need to focus on the small goals and watch every guy on the team continue to develop as a player,” McEwen said.
His words echo the sentiments of his teammates, including Kaufman. “I would rather win a team championship than an individual championship,” Kaufman said.
