The championship season for the Chaminade University men's golf team barely began for them when the season was abruptly halted.
The Silverswords were in Northern California when the Pacific West Conference announced on March 12 that all spring sport competitions were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to cancel of the remainder of the season came four days later.
That meant the Silverswords, who were set to play in the Cal State East Bay Tim Tierney Shootout, had to return home after playing in just one regular-season competition, the Notre Dame de Namur Invitational.
It was a bitter pill for the 'Swords who played a golfer short at NDNU when
Desmond Mello (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Hawai'i-Manoa/Moanalua HS) was forced to withdraw after suffering an injury in the first round.
Without one of the best scorers, the team struggled to a 13th-place finish. They were hoping for redemption at the East Bay tournament but never had the opportunity.
But in reflecting back at the shortened season,
Jeren Nishimoto (Honolulu/Kaiser) was the 'Swords' lowest scorer for the second consecutive season with a 78.38 shots per 18-round average while freshman
Schuyler Peterson (Huntington Beach, Calif./Mater Dei) was impressive in debut season finishing just behind Nishimoto with a 78.88 average.
Junior
Colby Gunderson (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Castle) had flash of brilliance during the year as evidenced by his runner-up finish at the Hawai'i Pacific Dual Match during the fall non-championship season by carding a career-low 1-under-par 71.
Freshmen
Kalani Frazier (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kapolei) and senior
Gavin Bedoya (Honolulu/Kaiser), another first-year player, rounded out the 'Swords' championship season roster.
Mello, a senior, indicated he will take advantage of the NCAA's ruling of granting spring sport seniors an extra year of eligibility and return in 2021 while Bedoya, who still has athletic eligibility remaining, is also planning to return. Nishimoto and
Curtis Coburn (Huntington Beach, Calif./Huntington Beach), both seniors, are undecided.
In any case,
Renee Yuen, who completed her seventh year as head coach, will have a veteran squad returning next season as the 'Swords look to return to prominence among the PacWest's top squads.
