This Saturday, the Fairfield University men’s golf team will travel to Wiltwyck Golf Club in Kingston, NY, to compete in the Roar EE Invitational, a one-day event hosted by Columbia University. The Stags have entered the tournament on a recent strong run, finishing second overall in a field of 16 schools at the Battle at Rum Pointe, where they lost to Iona by three strokes.
Wiltwyck Golf Club is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed par-72 course that stretches 6,877 yards from the tournament tees. At such a long distance, players will need a strong combination of power and precision off the tee. The course is also known for its narrow, challenging greens, which will demand accurate approach shots and strong wedge play to perform well in the tournament. The course has hosted the Roar EE Invitational for several years now, with the previous winner being Saint Thomas Aquinas College at a score of +2.
For the Stags, sophomore Rasmus Ditzinger has been their top performer in 2026. At the Savannah Intercollegiate Tournament back in February, he finished third out of 108 participants, carding rounds of 71, 72 and 75 throughout the weekend. In the Battle at Rum Pointe, he won for individual play in a field that included 99 golfers. Ditzinger finished at -9, winning by eight strokes, as he carded a 68 and 67. Iona junior, Sean Richards, finished in second place at -1, carding a 72 and 71. This performance from Ditzinger earned him the MAAC Golfer of the Week. Ditzinger made the All-MAAC Second Team last season and will continue to look to build off of that this year.
Fairfield sophomore Tadgh Burke has also been one of Fairfield’s best players, as well as one of the best in the MAAC. He was last season’s MAAC individual champion at Disney’s Magnolia Course as well as the MAAC Rookie of the Year. He has gotten off to a good start this season, finishing 49th at the Savannah Intercollegiate Tournament at +13. In the Battle at Rum Pointe, he finished at T11, carding a 73 and 74 to finish +3 for the tournament.
Another important player for the Stags this weekend will be junior Anthony Naples. Naples has played a key role for Fairfield this season, carding a first-round 71 before finishing +15 and T60 at the Savannah Intercollegiate Tournament. He improved on this going into their second tournament of the season, as he carded a 71, 78 to finish +5 and T21 at the Battle at Rum Pointe.
The Roar EE Invitational features a 15-team field with a good mix of schools across the Northeast. Defending tournament champion Saint Thomas Aquinas College is returning and will certainly be a team to watch. Last year’s tournament runner-up, Lafayette College, is also returning this season, looking to be a top competitor again, as they only lost by two strokes last spring. Iona University, which beat Fairfield earlier this spring, will enter the tournament as a strong contender.
The field is rounded out by Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Fordham University, Hofstra University, Providence College, Canisius University, Saint Peter’s University, Siena University, St. Bonaventure University, and the University of New Haven.
The Roar EE Invitational at Wiltwyck will serve as a strong test for Fairfield. It is also a final tune-up opportunity before they head down to Lake Buena Vista, Florida, later this month at Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course. Fairfield is the defending MAAC champion, having claimed the title last April for the first time since 1997, and the Stags will look to carry their momentum into the postseason.
