Photo: St. Bonaventure Athletics
BY: QUINN BURGESS, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Michael Bucko, a junior golfer from Johnson City, New York, had a slow start to his Division I golf career.
In his first season at Bonaventure, Bucko’s top finish was tied for eighth 76-76 in the 2022 Murray Cup against Siena College.
During his sophomore season, Bucko played every match on the calendar.
“Playing in every match that year let off a lot of pressure that was built from the season prior,” Bucko said. “I worked so hard to get where I was my first year, so there was a lot of pressure to put myself out there and put up decent numbers.”
Bucko’s top finish in the 2023-24 season was in the Little Three Championship, placing third with a score of -1. The match against Canisius University and Niagara University ended in a Bonaventure win by 29 strokes.
Bucko ended his sophomore campaign tied for sixth in the 2023 Murray Cup and tied for 29th at the 2024 Atlantic 10 Championship in Orlando.
This season, Bucko has finished in the top 10 in three of the six matches played so far.
On Sept. 17, Bucko tied for first place in the Little Three Championship with a score of -2, leading Bonaventure to a win by eight strokes over Canisius University.
Bucko thrives in this newfound pressure of being the one-spot in Bonnie’s lineup, he said.
“Being in the one spot comes with a lot of pressure, pressure to put up better scores to lead this team to success,” Bucko said.
On Oct. 6 and 7, Bucko posted matching scores of 72 to finish tied for 10th in the Mathews Auto Collegiate Invitational. Then, on Oct. 8, he secured a fifth-place score of +1 in the 2024 Murray Cup.
With the fall section of the season finished, Bucko said he looks to be a role model for the underclassmen.
It’s important to lead this team in the spring,” Bucko said. “We’re a young team and it’s nice to lead the way for the younger guys.”
Bonaventure’s next match is on March 11, against George Mason in North Carolina.
burgesqg24@bonaventure.edu
