Haberstumpf helps Drexel deliver new head coach Yurgalesvicz his first tourney title in Temple Invitational

 

  Scott Yurgalevicz picked up right where Ben Feld left off after Feld stepped down as the head coach at Drexel.

   The Dragons captured the team title in the Temple Invitational, which wrapped up Tuesday at The 1912 Club in Plymouth Meeting, prevailing in a tiebreaker against Lehigh and La Salle, one of the previous stops on Yurgalevicz’s coaching journey.

   In just his second tournament start since taking over at Drexel, Yurgalevicz has a team title on his resume.

   Drexel, a Coastal Athletic Association representative, had taken a one-shot lead over Lehigh into Tuesday’s final round.

   But the Mountain Hawks, out of the Patriot League, and La Salle, an Atlantic 10 representative and one of Drexel’s Big Five rivals, caught the Dragons, each team ending up with a 17-over-par 857 total over the 7,067-yard, par-70 1912 Club layout.

   Drexel closed with a 12-over 292 and Lehigh and La Salle caught the Dragons with respective final rounds of 11-over 291 and 5-over 285, the second straight 5-over round for the Explorers.

   The teams went to their fifth player to break the tie and the 4-over 74 recorded by Drexel sophomore John Stevenson, who starred at La Salle and was the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Junior Player of the Year in 2024, was one shot better than the 75 tallied by Lehigh’s Charles Schrohe, a junior from Riverside, Conn.

   La Salle’s fifth score was the 78 turned in by Gavin Dosch, a junior from Draper, Utah, as the Explorers settled for a third-place finish.

   Drexel was led by junior Jake Haberstumpf, who starred scholastically at Bethlehem’s Freedom High and is in his third stop of his college career, including some time with the program of host Temple.

   Haberstumpf carded a pair of 1-under 69s in Monday’s double round and closed with a 4-over 74 to finish among a trio of players tied for third place with a 2-over 212 total.

   Also in that group at 2-over was La Salle’s Kyle Virsik, a freshman from Melbourne, Fla. who closed with a solid 2-under 68. Virsik had opened with a 3-over 73 before adding a 71 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round.

   Drexel had opened with an even-par 280 before adding a 5-over 285 in Monday afternoon’s second round.

   Lehigh was right on the heels of the Dragons as the Mountain Hawks registered a pair of 3-over 283s in both ends of Monday’s double round.

   Lehigh was led by Jake Roth, a senior from Rockville, Md. who finished in second place in the individual standings with a 1-under 209 total, five shots behind the runaway individual champion, East Carolina’s Phillip Linberg Bondestad, a senior from Norway who had three rounds in the 60s in fashioning a 6-under 204 total.

   Roth led Linberg Bondestad by two shots going into Tuesday’s final round as he added a sparkling 4-under 66 in Monday afternoon’s second round to his opening-round 67. Roth closed with a 6-over 76 as he and Linberg Bondestad were the only two players to finish in red figures for 54 holes.

   Solid showing for La Salle, which opened with a 7-over 287 before recording those back-to-back 5-over 285s that enabled the Explorers to finish in the tie for first place at the end of regulation with a 17-over total.

   Appalachian State, a Sun Belt Conference invader, finished just five shots behind the top three in fourth place with a 22-over 862 total.

   The Mountaineers opened with a 2-under 278 and added an 11-over 291 in Monday afternoon’s second round that left them just four shots behind Drexel going into Tuesday’s final round. Appalachian State closed with a 293.

   The Mountaineers were led by Herman Huus, a senior from Norway who joined Drexel’s Haberstumpf and La Salle’s Virsek in the trio tied for third place at 2-over. Huus opened with a sparkling 3-under 67 and added a 2-over 72 in Monday afternoon’s second round before closing with a 73.

   James Gradisek, who was a scholastic standout at Malvern Prep, is a redshirt senior at Appalachian State. A member at Stonewall, Gradisek has hosted his Appalachian State teammates at Stonewall for a preseason tuneup the last few summers.

   Had a chance to watch Huus in action as I carried for the Stonewall partner accompanying his group of Mountaineers at the Old Course. Super nice kid whose talent was obvious.

   East Carolina, one of Temple’s American Athletic Conference rivals, and Gardner-Webb, a Big South Conference representative, finished in a tie for fifth place, each ending up seven shots behind Appalachian State with a 29-over 869 total.

   After opening with a 296, the Pirates bounced back with a 4-over 284 in Monday afternoon’s second round before closing with a 9-over 289. The Bulldogs opened with a 294 and added a 290 in Monday afternoon’s second round before closing with a solid 5-over 285.

   East Carolina was led by Linberg Bondestad, the individual champion who opened with a 1-under 69 and added a sparkling 4-under 66 in Monday afternoon’s second round that gave him a one-shot lead over Temple B-teamer William Jun, a sophomore from Jupiter, Fla., going into Tuesday’s final round. Linberg Bondestad finished up with another 69 for a 6-under 204 total that earned him his first collegiate victory.

   Penn, an Ivy League representative and another Big 5 entry, finished alone in seventh place with a 31-over 871 total. The Quakers added a 6-over 286 in Monday afternoon’s second round to their opening-round 289 before closing with a 296.

   Penn was led by Arjun Caprihan, a freshman from Short Hills, N.J. who finished among a trio of players tied for eighth place at 4-over 214. Caprihan added a solid 1-under 69 in Monday afternoon’s second round to his opening round of 2-over 72 before closing with a 73.

   Temple’s A team and Francis Marion, a Southland Conference representative, finished six shots behind Penn in a tie for eighth place, each landing on 877.

   The host Owls opened with a 9-over 289 and added back-to-back 294s in the final two rounds. After struggling in the opening round with a 301, the Patriots bounced back with a 3-under 277, the best team round of the tournament in Monday afternoon’s second round, before closing with a 299.

   Saint Joseph’s, one of La Salle’s A-10 rivals and another Big 5 entry – five of the six Big 5 teams were represented in the field at The 1912 Club – shared eighth place in the 12-team field with Temple’s B team, each ending up with an 889 total.

   The Hawks bounced back from an opening-round 296 with a 7-over 287 in Monday afternoon’s second round before struggling in the final round with a 306. The Temple B-teamers opened with a solid 5-over 285 and added a 296 in Monday afternoon’s second round before struggling in the final round with a 309.

   Backing up Haberstumpf for the Dragons was Caleb Taylor, a senior from Woodbine, Md. who gave Drexel a second finisher inside the top six as he landed in a tie for sixth place at 3-over 213. Taylor opened with a sparkling 4-under 66 and added a 4-over 74 in Monday afternoon’s second round before closing with a 73.

   Senior Kevin Lydon, a PIAA Class AAA qualifier in 2021 as a senior at Central Bucks West, finished among the group tied for 12^th place for the Dragons with a 6-over 286 total. After opening with a 3-over 73, Lydon matched par in Monday afternoon’s second round with a 70 before closing with another 73.

   Lydon teed it up in last month’s U.S. Amateur at The Olympic Club in San Francisco after surviving a playoff among five players for the final berth in a qualifier at The Whippoorwill Club in Armonk, N.Y.

   Thomas Young, a sophomore from Center Valley, finished in the group tied for 16^th place with a 7-over 217 total, sandwiching a 3-over 73 in Monday afternoon’s second round with a pair of 72s.

   Rounding out the Drexel lineup was Stevenson, the La Salle product who finished among the group tied for 31^st place with a 291 total. After opening with a 4-over 74, Stevenson added a 73 in Monday afternoon’s second round before closing with what turned out to be a very important 74 in the final round.

   Drexel had opened its season in the J.T. Poston Invitational Sept. 14^th to 16^th at the Waynesville Inn & Golf Club in Waynesville, N.C. and finished in seventh place in the 15-team field with a 2-over 842 total. Taylor led the way for the Dragons, finishing in a tie for 11^th place in the individual chase with a 2-under 208 total.

   Backing up Roth for Lehigh was Matthew Quinn, a junior from Holden, Mass. who gave the Mountain Hawks another finisher inside the top eight as he finished among a trio of players tied for eighth place with a 4-over 274.

   After opening with a 4-over 74, Quinn matched par in each of the final two rounds with back-to-back 70s.

   Noah Zyung, a sophomore from Glenview, Ill., finished in the group tied for 12^th place as he posted three straight 2-over 72s for a 6-over 216 total.

   Rounding out the Lehigh lineup were Ryan Cronin, a freshman from Eden Prairie, Minn., and Schrohe, as both landed among the large group tied for 37^th place with a 223 total.

   After opening with a solid 1-over 71, Cronin struggled a little in Monday afternoon’s second round with a 78 before closing with a 74. Schrohe opened with a 3-over 73 before adding back-to-back 75s in the final two rounds, the second of which left him a shot behind Drexel’s Stevenson in the tiebreaker that decided the team title.

   Backing up Virsik for La Salle was Armand Loscalzo, a senior from Tampa, Fla. who joined Drexel’s Taylor in the tie for sixth place at 3-over 213.

   Loscalzo opened with a sparkling 3-under 67 and added a 1-over 71 in Monday afternoon’s second round before closing with a 75.

   Graduate student Jackson Debusschere, who helped Strath Haven claim the District One Class AAA team title in 2019, finished in a tie for 21^st place for the Explorers with an 8-over 218 total.

   Debusschere, who is taking a fifth year at La Salle after playing for Cornell in the Ivy League, opened with a 6-over 76 and added a 2-over 72 in Monday afternoon’s second round before contributing an even-par 70 to the strong finish in the final round by the Explorers.

   Dosch finished among the group tied for 31^st place at 221 as he was solid in Monday’s double round, adding a 1-over 71 in the afternoon to his opening-round 72 before closing with a 78 that factored into the tiebreaker after La Salle finished in the tie for first place in the team standings.

   Rounding out the La Salle lineup was Payton Hawke, a sophomore from Canada who finished among the group tied for 52^nd place with a 227 total. Hawke added an 80 in Monday afternoon’s second round to his opening-round 75 before closing with a solid 2-over 72.

   The Temple Invitational was the third event of the young season for La Salle.

   The Explorers finished in fourth place in an 11-team field in the Red Bandanna Invitational over the Labor Day weekend at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, N.Y. La Salle was led by Colin Ferrick, a freshman from Huntersville, N.C. who finished in a tie for fourth place in the individual standings in his college debut with a 7-over total.

   A week later, La Salle finished in a tie for 10^th place in a tough 14-team field in the Bryan National Collegiate at the Bryan Park Golf Course in Browns Summit, N.C. Hawke led the way for the Explorers as he finished in the group tied for 15^th place with a 3-over 219 total.

   Backing up Caprihan for Penn was Hayden Adams, a junior from Lexington, Ky. who finished in the group tied for 16^th place with a 7-over 217 total. Adams carded a pair of 2-over 72s in Monday’s double round before closing with a 73.

   Max Fonseca, a junior from Miami, Fla., finished among the group tied for 23^rd place for the Quakers with a 9-over 219 total. Fonseca matched par in Monday afternoon’s second round with a 70 after opening with a 3-over 73 before finishing up with a 76.

   Kayden Wang, a freshman from San Diego, Calif., added a 5-over 75 in Monday afternoon’s second round to his opening-round 72 before closing with a 79 as he finished alone in 51^st place with a 226 total.

   Rounding out the Penn lineup was Ryan Chang, a sophomore from Brookline, Mass. who added a 6-over 76 in Monday afternoon’s second round to his opening-round 77 before closing with a 74 to finish in the group tied for 52^nd place with a 227 total.

   Jake Naese, a graduate student from Bradenton, Fla., led the way for Temple’s top team as he finished among the group tied for 16^th place with a 7-over 217 total. Naese registered a solid 1-under 69 in Monday afternoon’s second round after opening with a 3-over 73 before closing with a 75.

   Mason Tome, a sophomore from West Palm Beach, Fla., and Nicholas Pisarski, a freshman from Orlando, Fla., both finished in the group tied for 37^th place at 223 for the Owls.

   Tome sandwiched a 9-over 79 in Monday afternoon’s second round with a pair of solid 2-over 72s. Pisarski added a 2-over 72 in Monday afternoon’s second round to his opening-round 77 before closing with a 74.

   Aidan Emmerich, a senior from Swampscott, Mass., opened with a 2-over 72 and added a 79 in Monday afternoon’s second round before closing with a 73 as he finished alone in 46^th place with a 224 total.

   Rounding out Temple’s first five was junior Matt Vital, a three-time PIAA Class AAA qualifier during an outstanding scholastic career at Bethlehem’s Liberty High who finished in the group tied for 52^nd place with a 227 total. Matt Vital opened with a 2-over 72 and added a 74 in Monday afternoon’s second round before struggling in the final round with an 81.

   Jun gave the Temple B team a top-10 finisher as he joined Penn’s Caprihan and Lehigh’s Quinn in the trio tied for eighth place at 4-over 214. Jun only trailed Linberg Bondestad, the eventual winner, by a shot going into Tuesday’s final round as he added a sparkling 3-under 67 in Monday afternoon’s second round to his opening-round 69.

   Jun struggled to an 8-over 78 in the final round, but certainly earned himself some consideration for a spot in Temple’s starting five down the road.

   Backing up Jun for Temple’s B team was junior Drew Clark, a scholastic standout at Archmere Academy who finished in the group tied for 37^th place with a 223 total. Clark added a 2-over 72 in Monday afternoon’s second round to his opening-round 73 before closing with a 78.

   Junior Ben Saggers, a PIAA Class AAA qualifier as a senior at Bishop Shanahan in 2021, got off to a solid start for the Owl B-teamers with a 1-over 71, but struggled after that with an 80 in Monday afternoon’s second round and a 6-over 76 in the final round as he ended up among the group tied for 52^nd place with a 227 total.

   Tommy Murdough, a sophomore from Concord, Mass., finished among a trio of 63^rd place at 230 as he opened with a 2-over 72 and added a 77 in Monday afternoon’s second round before closing with an 81.

   Rounding out the Temple B team lineup was senior Michael Quirk, a scholastic standout at Catholic League power La Salle who finished alone in 70^th place with a 242 total as he bounced back from an opening-round 85 with an 80 in Monday afternoon’s second round before closing with a 7-over 77.

   Head coach Brian Quinn sent out three more Owls to compete as individuals in Temple’s home tournament.

   Senior Darren Nelson, another product of Catholic League power La Salle, finished among the trio tied for 59^th place with a 228 total as he added a solid 2-over 72 in Monday afternoon’s second round to his opening-round 77 before closing with a 79.

   Junior Michael Vital, twin brother of Matt Vital who was a two-time PIAA Class AAA qualifier at Liberty High, finished alone in 69^th place with a 234 total as he opened with a 5-over 76 before adding back-to-back 79s in the final two rounds.

   Rounding out the Temple contingent was freshman Nicholas Linkchorst, who helped West Chester Rustin capture the District One Class AAA team crown last fall. Linkchorst added an 81 in Monday afternoon’s second round to his opening-round 80 before closing with a 82 as he finished in 71^st place with a 243 total.

   Leading the way for Saint Joseph’s was freshman Michael Henry Jr., who was a scholastic standout at Malvern Prep and finished among the trio for 28^th place with a 220 total. After opening with a 5-over 75, Henry added a 71 in Monday afternoon’s second round before finishing up with a 74.

   Junior Noah Moelter, who finished in a tie for sixth place in the PIAA Class AAA Championship as a senior at Central Bucks South in 2022, ended up in a tie for 35^th place with a 222 total. Moelter matched par in Monday afternoon’s second round with a 70 after opening with a 5-over 75 before closing with a 77.

   George Williamson Jr., a freshman from Skyesville, Md., finished among a large group tied for 37^th place with a 223 total for the Hawks. Williamson carded a pair of 2-over 72s in Monday’s double round before closing with a 79.

   Senior Christian Matt, a two-time PIAA Class AAA qualifier during an outstanding scholastic career at Wissahickon, finished in 62^nd place with a 229 total as he opened with a 4-over 74 and added a 79 in Monday afternoon’s second round before closing with a 76.

   Senior Keller Mulhern, the top point-getter in the Inter-Ac League’s regular season as a senior at Malvern Prep in 2021, rounded out the lineup for Saint Joseph’s. Mulhern no-carded in the first and final rounds, but contributed a counting 4-over 74 for the Hawks in Monday afternoon’s second round.

   Rider, a Metro Atlantic Athletic Association entry, got a solid showing from sophomore Andrew Bilson, a PIAA Class AAA qualifier as a senior at Manheim Township in 2022 who finished in a tie for 35^th place with a 222 total. Bilson sandwiched a 2-over 72 in Monday afternoon’s second round with a pair of 75s.

   The Broncs finished in a tie for 12^th place with Dartmouth, another Ivy League entry, in the team standings with a 52-over 892 total.

   Appalachian State’s Gradisek competed as an individual at The 1912 Club and finished in a tie for 66^th place with a 232 total. Gradisek bounced back from an opening-round 79 with a solid 2-over 72 in Monday afternoon’s second round before struggling in the final round with an 81.