After finishing 35th in the Clippd national rankings and just missing out on the NCAA Championships, the Wildcats prepare for a new season with returning stars and promising newcomers.
Northwestern men’s golf wrapped up a solid campaign with an appearance in the NCAA Tallahassee Regional and a No. 35 national ranking, according to Clippd. The Wildcats were just one shot away from sending senior Cameron Adam to the NCAA Championships as an individual, capping off a season filled with individual breakthroughs and team consistency. As the team looks ahead, they’ll do so without two key contributors—Adam and Niall Shiels-Donegan. Still, with a strong core returning and two talented international recruits joining the mix, Northwestern is poised to remain competitive heading into next season.
Northwestern will graduate just one player: senior leader Cameron Adam. The Scotland native capped off a stellar career by competing in 30 rounds this season and leading the Wildcats with a 70.93 stroke average. As a First-Team All-Big Ten selection, Adam delivered a phenomenal final year. His season was highlighted by a victory at The Clerico, where he shot 3-under on a challenging course. He also impressed at the St. Andrews Links Collegiate, finishing second after a brilliant 3-under final round. Adam closed his collegiate career with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Tallahassee Regional, finishing 8-under—just one stroke shy of qualifying for the NCAA Championships as the top individual from a non-advancing team.
Junior Daniel Svärd continued to be a cornerstone of Northwestern’s lineup for the third straight season. Appearing in all 33 rounds, Svärd posted a 71.57 stroke average—second-best on the team—and earned a unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten selection for the second year in a row. His standout performance came at The Goodwin, where he finished as co-champion. Standing 6’6”, Svärd also tallied three additional top-5 finishes: third at the Fighting Illini Invitational, third at The Clerico, and fifth at the St. Andrews Links Collegiate. The Swedish standout is set to return as the team’s leader for his senior season, looking to build on an already outstanding career.
Niall Shiels-Donegan delivered a standout sophomore season and was poised to be a cornerstone of Northwestern’s lineup heading into his junior year. However, he has announced his decision to transfer to North Carolina—a significant loss for the Wildcats, as he was expected to be one of the team’s leaders next season. Shiels-Donegan’s top finish came at the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial, where he placed sixth after shooting par or better in all three rounds. He also posted three additional top-10 finishes: seventh at The Prestige, eighth at the St. Andrews Links Collegiate, and ninth at The Clerico. Replacing his production and leadership will be one of the team’s biggest challenges next year.
Ethan Tseng competed in 27 rounds this season, with his best finish coming at The Prestige, where he placed 12th. He also finished 15th at the St. Andrews Links Collegiate and 21st at The Goodwin. While it wasn’t quite the season he had hoped for—coming off a First Team All-Big Ten campaign—Tseng remains a key veteran and will look to bounce back during his senior year.
Archie Finnie made 22 appearances for Northwestern and recorded two top-7 finishes—one at The Prestige and another at the St. Andrews Links Collegiate. With continued development, Finnie could be a strong contender for a consistent spot in the starting five next season.
Akshay Anand played in 15 rounds and showed flashes of his potential. His season highlight was an eighth-place tie at the St. Andrews Links Collegiate. He also opened the year with a strong 13th-place finish at the Sahalee Players Championship, which included a 3-under second round. Anand will be aiming to build consistency and fight for a bigger role.
First-year Mark Gazi competed in 17 rounds. His best finish came at the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial, where he placed 25th. Gazi gained valuable experience this season and will look to make a push for a regular lineup spot moving forward.
Graduate transfer Aidan Kramer appeared in 12 rounds during his lone season with the Wildcats. His top performance came at The Prestige, where he tied for seventh. While the season didn’t unfold as he may have hoped, Kramer delivered key moments for the team throughout the year.
Sophomore Jeremy Chen played in nine rounds and posted his best score—a 2-under 69—at the Windon Memorial Classic. Chen was honored with the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award and will aim to take on a larger role next season.
Looking ahead, the team will welcome two incoming players: Monty Holcombe and Isaac Lee. Holcombe, from Sutton, England, has twice represented the Great Britain & Ireland team and recently placed third at the Surrey Amateur County Championship. He previously competed alongside Shiels-Donegan in 2023. Lee, from Hong Kong, brings an impressive résumé as a back-to-back Hong Kong Open Amateur Champion and a U.S. Junior Amateur participant. A member of the Hong Kong National Team, Lee will bring international experience and strong credentials to the squad.
As Northwestern moves forward to next season, the team faces both exciting opportunities and significant challenges. The departure of key contributors like Cameron Adam and Niall Shiels-Donegan leaves big shoes to fill, but a strong returning core—including Daniel Svärd, Ethan Tseng and Archie Finnie—offers promise.
The additions of talented recruits Monty Holcombe and Isaac Lee should further bolster the roster with international experience and competitive depth. With a mix of veteran leadership and emerging talent, the Wildcats will aim to build on this year’s success and remain a contender on the national stage.