“He’s basically our leading player and our most consistent player, so it’s always good to see him play well,” Liu said.

The next day didn’t go quite as well for the Crimson. In the end, Harvard did just enough to win, shooting a 309 in yesterday’s final round.

But George Washington nearly spoiled the Crimson’s day. Dropping 27 strokes from its performance on Saturday, the Colonials shot a 301 yesterday, losing to Harvard by just one stroke. Yale, which shot a 310, finished in third with a 634.

Conditions were tough again in the competition’s second day. With heavy winds that made putting difficult, no player in the field shot par or below.

Again, Liu played well despite the weather, tying for the low score for the Crimson. His 75 gave him a two-day total of 152, one shot better than the second-place finisher.

“You need guys who just buckle down and try to grind out a score that you might not love in great conditions but is certainly a good score for the way it was playing out there,” said junior captain Tony Grillo, who also shot a 75. “And Seiji did that both days.”

But individual victory was hardly assured for the freshman, who started the round +5 after the first six holes. Liu recovered, going -1 the rest of the way.

“I was extremely proud of the fact that I kept focused,” Liu said. “I just kept grinding.”

In the end, Lederhausen finished eighth overall, Grillo placed in ninth, and junior Mark Pollak finished in 19th.

Harvard’s finish bodes auspiciously for the team’s next and perhaps most important tournament of the season: the Ivy League Championships.

—Staff writer Robert S. Samuels can be reached at robertsamuels@college.harvard.edu.