Inconsistency got the better of the Bulldogs in the Philadelphia Big Five Invitational at the Plymouth Country Club in Pennsylvanialast weekend. For the second consecutive week, the men’s golf team found itself in the hunt for victory but unable to attain it.

The men’s golf team tied for fifth in the 21-school tournament, shooting a 587 (+27). Yale was only five strokes behind St. John’s, whichfinishedsecond.

Freshman Sam Bernstein ’14 led the way for the Bulldogs, shooting a 75 on Saturday and a 68 on Sunday to tie for ninth place overall in the tournament.

“Sam played a good round today,” captain Tom McCarthy ’11 said. “He’d been struggling a little bit, but he had the second-lowest round of[Sunday]. I’m happy to see him finally get his feet under him.”

Head coach Colin Sheehan ’97 added that Bernstein’s round of 68 was the first time this fall that Bernsteinhaddemonstrated that he was thetremendous golfer Sheehan knew he was.

Bernstein attributed his success on Sunday to putting. He sank 26 putts for parand said he took advantage of his birdie putts when they occurred.

“For me personally, up until today, I didn’t feel I was doing anything super special to contribute,” Bernstein said.

McCarthy shot a cumulative 144 (+4) to tie for 12thin the tournament.

Sheehan said McCarthy’s play this weekend wasreminiscent of his performance last year when hewas named Ivy League Player of the Year.

Brad Kushner ’13 shot a cumulative 148 (+8),Russell Holmes ’13 finished Sunday with a cumulative 152 (+12)andJeff Hatten ’12 rounded out the Bulldogs with a cumulative 156 (+16) for the tournament.

With the exception of Bernstein and Kushner, each Eli shot a higher round on Sunday than Saturday. McCarthy said this was despite the fact that the course was probably easier Sundaybecause the holes were made a bit shorter.

“We’re a little inconsistent right now within the team,” McCarthy said. “One guy will play well on Saturday, then on Sunday, a different guy will play well. There’s no consistency within each round, but the potential is there.”

Holmes added the team’s performance was particularly frustrating this weekend given how nice the weather was. Nevertheless, Holmes saidthat the team was close to the leader at the end of Sunday.

The team is looking forward to playing its last fall tournament of the season next weekend at the Northeast Invitational.

Sheehan said the upcoming tournament is an IvyLeague preview, as all of the schools in the conference will participate. He said he likes theShelter Harbor Golf Club, where the tournament will take place, sincethe team is prepared to play well in tough conditions.

“If we all play like we’re capable of playing, no other team in the Ivies or Northeast can catch us. We’re looking forward to going out there playing our A-game,” Bernstein said.

Furman University took first place in the tournament, shooting a combined two-round cumulative score of 574 (+10).

St. John’s, to whom the Bulldogs fell last weekend in the Yale-hosted Macdonald cup, trailed Furman by eight strokes, shooting a 582 for second place. Princeton and the University of Kentucky each tied for third, shooting 583. Yale tied Binghamton University for fifth place.