The Panther men's golf team placed sixth among 10 teams at the 2017 NESCAC Qualifier hosted by Trinity at the Indian Hill Country Club. For the first time since the league moved the fall qualifier/spring championship format in 2007, the Panthers did not qualify for the spring event. The Middlebury squad is depleted this fall with three golfers studying abroad. The Panthers are back in action next weekend at the Saratoga Invitational.

Trinity (582) won the qualifier and will host the four-team championship event next spring. Also qualifying were Williams (602), Tufts (617) and Amherst (621). The Panthers were 17 strokes better on day two (307), finishing with a two-day total of 631.

Leading Middlebury at the event was Jeffrey Giguere, who shot a red-hot 71 on day two to finish with a 147, good for a third-place tie. Bennett Doherty took eight strokes off his day one score, carding a 74 on Sunday for a two-day total of 156, good for a tie for 14th place. Joe Ko was five strokes better on day two, shooting a 79 to finish with a 163 (84-79). David McDaniel turned in a 165 (82-83), while Jordan Bessalel shot a 169 (85-84).

The top-four golfers from non-qualifying teams also qualify for the spring championship, with Giguere and Doherty earning the right.