SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. — September 10, 2026 — The Western New England University men's golf team finished sixth at the 2026 AIC Yellow Jacket Invitational, posting a final team score of 59 shots over par through three rounds at The Ledges Golf Club. The Golden Bears opened the two-day invitational with a 307 (+19), followed by a 308 (+20) in the second round and closed with another 308 (+20) to finish at 923 strokes. Tim Spitz closed the invitational with a 68 to tie for the third-lowest round in program history.

Tournament Overview

The two-day AIC Yellow Jacket Invitational featured nine teams competing over three rounds at The Ledges Golf Club. Bentley University captured the team title at 2 shots over par, followed by Post University at 8 over par and Gordon College at 36 over par. American International College finished fourth at 37 over par. Western New England finished sixth at 59 shots over par, six strokes behind fifth-place Franklin Pierce University (+50), while Nichols College and AIC 'B' tied for seventh at 87 over par. Westfield State University finished ninth at 120 over par.

How It Happened:

First Round:

• Western New England opened the invitational with a team score of 307, finishing the first round at 19 shots over par.
• Kyle Klimas paced the Golden Bears in the opening round with a 73 (+1), putting him in a tie for 26th place individually. Aidan Devaney followed with a 75 (+3), while Alex Noti carded a 78 (+6) and Kyle DeGroff finished with an 81 (+9).
• Tim Spitz opened with an 85 (+13), while Rian Faiq, competing independently, posted a 78 (+6).
• The balanced opening-round effort gave Western New England a +19 team score and established a strong starting point for the remaining 36 holes.

Second Round:

• The Golden Bears followed their opening-round 307 with a 308 in the second round, finishing at 20 over par and bringing their two-round team score to 615 (+39).
• Spitz made the largest individual improvement within the Golden Bear lineup, dropping from an opening-round 85 to a 72 in the second round. His 72 represented a 13-stroke improvement and moved his overall score to 17 over par heading into the final round.
• Klimas carded a 78 (+6) in the second round to bring his two-round total to 151 (+7), while Devaney posted an 80 (+8) for a two-round total of 155 (+11). Noti and DeGroff each recorded a 79 (+7), leaving Noti at 13 over par and DeGroff at 16 over par through 36 holes.
• Faiq continued his independent competition with a 73 (+1), giving him a two-round total of 151 (+7).

Final Round:

• Spitz saved his best round for last, firing a 68, four shots under par, to highlight the Golden Bears' final round. His 68 was tied for the third-lowest round in Western New England program history.
• The closing performance moved Spitz 17 spots up the individual leaderboard, allowing him to finish tied for 14th overall at 9 shots over par after rounds of 85, 72 and 68.
• Klimas finished the final round with a 78 (+6), completing the tournament tied for 26th at 13 over par. Devaney and DeGroff each carded an 81 (+9), with Devaney finishing 31st at 20 over par and DeGroff tying for 38th at 25 over par.
• Noti closed with an 82 (+10) to finish 36th at 23 over par, while Faiq posted a 75 (+3) in his final round of individual competition. Faiq finished tied for 16th at 10 over par.
• As a team, Western New England posted a 308 (+20) in the final round to finish the tournament at 923 strokes, or 59 over par.

Key Performances:

• Spitz delivered the defining individual performance of the tournament for Western New England. After opening with an 85, he improved to a 72 in the second round before closing with a 68. His four-under-par final round was tied for the third-lowest round in program history and propelled him 17 spots up the individual leaderboard.
• Klimas was the Golden Bears' other top-30 finisher, tying for 26th at 13 over par after rounds of 73, 78 and 78.
• Faiq, competing individually, finished just outside the top 15, tying for 16th at 10 over par. His final-round 75 (+3) followed rounds of 78 and 73.

Team Results:

1. Bentley University — +2
2. Post University — +8
3. Gordon College — +36
4. American International College — +37
5. Franklin Pierce University — +50
6. Western New England University — +59
T-7. Nichols College — +87
T-7. American International College 'B' — +87
9. Westfield State University — +120

Western New England Results:

• Tim Spitz — T-14th, +9 (85-72-68)
• Rian Faiq — T-16th, +10 (78-73-75), independent
• Kyle Klimas — T-26th, +13 (73-78-78)
• Aidan Devaney — 31st, +20 (75-80-81)
• Alex Noti — 36th, +23 (78-79-82)
• Kyle DeGroff — T-38th, +25 (81-79-81)

Up Next:

The Golden Bears return to action September 12-13 at the Duke Nelson Invitational in Middlebury, Vermont, at Ralphe Myhre Golf Course. The tournament begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 12, before concluding with a 9 a.m. start Sunday, September 13.