Senior Matt Catton last played in a collegiate golf tournament in October 2019. Since then, the spring portion of the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 epidemic and the current fall season has been postponed. Catton, however, has remained busy working on both his golf game and with an internship. Catton returned to campus this week and along with the rest of his teammates, are looking forward to returning to the course in the future.
What have you been up to since the spring season was canceled?
I have been relatively busy since the spring season's cancelation. This summer I worked as a Summer Associate for Jefferies in their Equity Research Division. It was quite a great experience, and I will be returning full-time following graduation in May. Other than work, I mostly spent time with friends playing golf around Long Island to try and gear up for the next time that we get a chance to compete.
How have you been able to stay in touch with your teammates since March?
Since March, we have mostly kept in touch through our team group chats and snapchat groups. A few of us met up for a week to play a bunch of the Bethpage courses and go to the beach.
How helpful has Coach Herceg been to you and your teammates during this time?
Coach Herceg has been great for myself and my teammates throughout these trying times. We check in routinely to discuss more about life and expectations rather than golf these days. He has always been someone we can reach out to for some perspective.
Even though the fall portion of the season won't be played, what is the mindset of the team this semester?
The team's mindset is a confident one going into the fall. Some of our teammates got out there and had strong performances in tournaments this summer. Others have kept their games sharp. While it stings to not be playing this fall, I think us seniors and juniors have a sense of urgency to make the most of the spring.
How much have you been able to work on your golf game during these past several months?
The past several months I have tried to take advantage of every opportunity to play. I would joke that I was a weekend golfer for most of the summer because of work, but now that school is starting back-up, I have been able to sharpen the game up. Weirdly enough, from purely going out and playing rather than practicing, I think I have been less concerned with the swing and able to work on scoring a bit more.
Ryan Rodriguez, Tom Mandel and Chris Yustin all graduated last spring. How much did they mean to the program?
Each of them brought a lot to the team, and I have fond memories of them all. I had the opportunity to live with Ryan the past two years and learned a lot about his determination and commitment to routine. Tom and Chris were also great leaders and they will be missed. I am grateful we got to have our trip early last March before students were sent home as that will be a lasting memory of the comradery of last year's team.
Should the season resume in the spring, what is the mindset of the team heading into that stretch?
I really hope the season resumes in the spring. It would put a bow on top of a great experience here with the Binghamton team. The mindset of the team is an excited one and I think we are all going to push each other to be the best that we can be.
You have two newcomers to the team this year. How much contact have you been able to have with them during the summer?
We are excited to have Ryan and Evan join the team. I know they both had strong summers and more importantly, from my early interactions, I know they are both good guys. I look forward to getting to know them more this fall.
