RedHawks Flying North of the Border

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There have been quite a few unique venues and events on the Miami Golf schedule in recent history.

In 2024 alone, the RedHawks participated in the prestigious Calusa Cup in Naples, Fla. (April 7-9) and will make their second consecutive appearance at Hawaii's Kapolei Invitational in Waikiki to close the fall slate (Oct. 29-31)

However, Miami's next trip is one for the record books…literally.

The Red and White will compete as one of 10 teams in the Canadian Collegiate Invitational Sept. 16-17 at Oviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ontario. The tournament will be the first-ever NCAA Division I men's golf tournament played in Canada.

The event, which is put on by Golf Canada and co-hosted by Penn State and Kent State, features a powerhouse field including schools like Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Rutgers and Washington State. The CCI also includes the 2024 Canadian University Championship winner, the University of British Columbia.

"All of the Canadian coaches got together and wanted to do something with Golf Canada," said Miami head coach JD Fletcher. "Our opportunity came from my close relationship with Jon Mills at Kent State, who's a Canadian coach. Each team involved has some type of Canadian connection; that's why they're in the field."

For the RedHawks, that connection is a pair of juniors on the Miami roster who previously played for Team Ontario: Cameron Pero (a Bloomfield, Ont. native) and Michael Weber (Burlington, Ont.).

"They were really pumped," Fletcher said. "This would feel like a home game for them!"

"It's really cool because we've had historically really good Canadian players on our team," Fletcher continued, specifically mentioning Pero's father Mike Pero, a 1989 All-American. "And this is going to be a world-class event.

"It's one of the most private courses in the area, and each team will have their own villa or cottage. We're staying in a cottage right off the first hole, I think."

Miami will finalize its five-man lineup for the tournament later this week, headlined by Brett Podobinski, who's coming off a top-10 finish in the Island Resort Intercollegiate early this month and was named MAC Golfer of the Week for his efforts.

"I'm really looking to the golf courses up there," Podobinski said. "They're really cool, with a lot of trees and wooded areas.

Brett Podobinski — *Podobinski tied for ninth at the Island Resort Intercollegiate (75-70-69)*

"I'm excited to hopefully see both of the Canadians on our team qualify…I'm pulling for those guys to make the event. It means so much to them, and Canada's just an awesome part of the world. I'm definitely excited to get back there."

While Podobinski and the RedHawks will be focused on trying to win first place as a team in Ontario next week, each Miami golfer will also be trying to claim the individual championship (and the prize that comes with it).

"This event's a big one, just because of what's on the line for the winner," Podobinski explained. "If one of us were to win individually, we'd play in the PGA Tour event in Canada next summer, which is just a crazy-good opportunity.

"You don't get that in college golf a lot. It's fun to play for stakes like that and hopefully earn that exemption to get a sneak peek what the next 10 years or so might be like!"

Playing a field jammed full with Power Four programs will provide a major test for Fletcher's group. And honestly, no matter the result, that's exactly how the fourth-year head coach wants it. He's already finalizing a spring schedule that would ideally include a Power Four host for every single tournament the RedHawks go to.

"When you're playing with guys that are better than you, I think it always makes you better. Our boys want to be around those types of teams every week too," Fletcher said.

"I like to schedule as hard as possible: Both the field and the venue."

"It's always nice just seeing how we stack up against the best teams in the nation," Podobinski added. "Instead of just seeing their scores from afar, it's good to see it in person and learn something from them."

The end goal from Miami's 54 holes of competition between Monday and Tuesday at Oviinbyrd: Take another step toward hopefully winning a MAC championship next April. Miami finished as conference runner-up in 2024, the program's best showing in nine years, and Fletcher's expectation is for the RedHawks to use September —and every event between now and MACs— to help finish the job next spring.

"It's a big fall season," said Fletcher. "The boys are coming off a hot summer, and they're ready to go. Then we ease into the spring before building up to a big April. That helps build up the momentum toward the MAC Championship, which is huge.

"I think we have a deep team…if you look at our boys' summers, we had two guys play in the U.S. Amateur this year. The boys worked hard this summer, and they got better…

"I think we're going to have a really good squad again. And if we don't win the MACs, it will be a failure. That's what we want to do."

Find more Front Row Features at: MiamiRedHawks.com/FrontRowFeatures

Bookmark the Miami Golf schedule for links to live scoring at each event the RedHawks play, including the upcoming Canadian Collegiate Invitational Sept. 16-17 in MacTier, Ontario.

Players Mentioned

Cameron Pero

Brett Podobinski

Michael Weber

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