Penn State, No. 51 in the latest Golfstat rankings, came roaring from behind on its home course to
get a share of the team title with Georgetown during the Rutherford Inercollegiate’s
Easter Sunday wrapup in University Park.
The Hoyas, the reigning Big East champions, had built an 11-shot
lead over Ohio University with rounds of 1-over 285 and even-par 284 over the
7,202-yard, par-71 Penn State Blue Course for a 1-over 569 total during
Saturday’s double round. The Nittany Lions were 12 shots back at 581 after
rounds of 293 and 288.
But the Lions had the day’s second-best round Sunday, a
3-over 287, to catch Georgetown, which slipped to a 299, at 16-over 868. The
Hoyas certainly made the point that they might be a little underrated at No.
189.
Oakland finished third at 876 after a final-round 293 and
No. 99 Eastern Michigan and Seton Hall shared fourth place at 27-over 879. The
Eagles had a final-round 298 while the Pirates, fueled by Lloyd Jefferson Go’s
course-record tying 7-under 64, had the day’s best round, an even-par 284.
Penn State was led by Charles Huntzinger, a sophomore from
Duluth, Ga. who fired a final round of 3-under 68 to finish in a tie for fourth
in the individual standings at 1-over 214.
Ryan Davis, a freshman from Berkeley Heights, N.J., finished
alone in sixth at 2-over 215. Davis was 2-under par after Saturday’s long day
with rounds of 71 and 69, but fell back a little with a final-round 75.
Sophomore JD Hughes, a former Carlisle standout, had a
critical final round of 1-under 70 to finish tied for 17th at 8-over
221. Junior Cole Miller, a Northwestern Lehigh product and winner of a pair of
individual titles in March, finished tied for 27th at 10-over 223
after a final-round 74. Christian Elliott, a senior from Canada, finished tied
for 45th at 227 after a final-round 77.
The Nittany Lions were without the services of sophomore
Ryan Dornes, a former Manheim Township standout who had shared the individual
title with Miller and another player at last month’s Kingsmill Intercollegiate.
The Daily Collegian’s
Jack R. Hirsh informed in a Rutherford Intercollegiate preview that Dornes is sidelined six to eight weeks with a
fractured hand. His absence makes the
Penn State comeback even more impressive.
The Nittany Lions had three players compete as individuals
and Alec Bard, a freshman from New Hartford, N.Y., made the most of the
opportunity. A final-round 72 left him the group tied with Hughes for 17th
at 8-over 221.
Connor Raeman, a sophomore from Canandaigua, N.Y., finished
tied for 40th at 226, including an even-par 71 in the middle round.
Senior Cody Cox, a Delaware Valley product, finished 72nd at 251.
Georgetown was led by Sam Madsen, a junior from Madison,
Wis. who fired a final round of 1-under 70 to finish alone in second at 1-under
212, three shots behind individual champion Peyton White, an Ohio senior from
Huntersville, N.C.
Junior Cole Berman, the former Haverford School standout and
the 2015 BMW Philadelphia Amateur champion, sparked the Hoyas’ Saturday surge
with a 4-under 67 in the second round. But Berman struggled through a
final-round 78 to finish tied for 11th at 6-over 219.
Jack Musgrave, a junior from Chesterton, Ind., also had a
big day for the Hoyas during Saturday’s double round. He had rounds of 71 and
69 and was at 2-under 140 through 36 holes. But he struggled Sunday with an 82
to finish tied for 22nd at 9-over 222.
Eduardo Blechtein, a freshman from Delray Beach, Fla., had a
final-round 72 to finish tied for 31st at 11-over 224 and Kevin
Jackson, a sophomore from Atlanta, finished tied for 35th at 12-over
225. Jackson opened the tournament with an impressive 2-under 69 before posting
rounds of 77 and 79.
Ohio’s White proved too tough to catch for the individual title after going 69-68 in
Saturday’s double round to get to 5-under 137. His final-round 72 left him at
4-under 209, three shots clear of Georgetown’s Madsen.
For the reigning Big East individual champion, all systems
were Go Sunday as the Seton Hall senior from the Philippines tied the Penn
State Blue Course record of 7-under 64 set by former Penn State standout Robert
Rohanna. Go opened up with rounds of 74 and 75, but his birdie barrage Sunday
left him alone in third place at even-par 213.
Oakland’s Jacob Johnson shared fourth place with Penn
State’s Huntzinger at 1-over 214. Johnson’s weekend was highlighted by a
3-under 68 in Saturday’s second round.
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