Nieves leads Delaware to team crown in Golfweek Fall Challenge; McGrath helps Temple finish fourth

    Delaware erased a 17-shot deficit entering the final round of the Golfweek Fall Challenge at the True Blue Golf Course in Myrtle Beach, S.C. and captured the team crown, the Blue Hens’ first tournament victory in five years.

   Delaware, under Patty Post, the director of golf programs, scorched the 7,006-yard, par-72 True Blue layout with four rounds in the 60s in Tuesday’s final round in an 18-under 270 that matched the second-best single round in program history. The Blue Hens’ 30-under 834 total shattered the program scoring record for a 54-hole tournament by 14 shots. Delaware’s last tournament title came in Colgate’s Alex Lagowitz Memorial in September of 2016.

   Coming off a fifth-place finish in the Turning Stone Intercollegiate at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, N.Y., Delaware, out of the Colonial Athletic Association, opened with a 5-under 283 in Sunday’s first round and added a 7-under 281 in Monday’s second round, which left the Blue Hens 17 shots behind Mercer going into Tuesday’s final round.

   But Hugo Kedzlie, a junior from England, erupted for a 7-under 65 to lead the final-round rally by Delaware. Roberto Nieves, a senior from Miami, Fla., had a second straight strong performance to start the wraparound 2021-2022 season, and Sparky Ariyachatvakin, a sophomore from Thailand, each carded a 4-under 68 and Michal Bargenda, a junior from Poland, carded a 3-under 69.

   The Golfweek Fall Challenge also marked the season debut for Temple and the Owls, led by an runnerup finish in the individual chase by BMW Philadelphia Amateur champion Conor McGrath, a junior, finished in fourth place with a 17-under 847 total.

   Mercer, out of the Southern Conference, added a 14-under 274 to its opening round of 15-under 273 to build its big lead. But the Bears could only manage to match par in the final round with a 288 as their 29-under 835 total left them a shot behind Delaware.

   Campbell, out of the Big South Conference, was another 10 shots behind Mercer in third place as the Camels, after struggling to a 4-over 292 in Sunday’s opening round, came on strong with a 9-under 279 in the second round before closing with a 14-under 274. That left Campbell with a 19-under 845 total.

   After matching par with an opening-round 288, Temple, getting a 6-under 66 from Ethan Whatley, a freshman from Westminster, Mass., fired an 11-under 277 in the second round, tying a program record in relation to par. Head coach Brian Quinn’s Owls closed with a 6-under 282 to finish two shots behind Campbell with a 17-under 847 total.

   Jacksonville State, out of the ASUN Conference, and Tennessee Tech, representing the Ohio Valley Conference, finished in a tie for fifth place, each landing on 15-under 849, two shots behind Temple. The Gamecocks were under par in each round, adding a 2-under 286 to their opening round of 7-under 281 before finishing up with a 6-under 282. After opening with a 2-over 290, the Golden Eagles rebounded with an 11-under 277 before closing with a 6-under 282.

   Delaware’s CAA rival, Drexel, opened its season by taking eighth place with a solid 8-under 856 total. The Dragons bounced back from an opening-round 292 with an 11-under 277 before finishing up with a 4-under 284.

   It was also the season opener for La Salle and the Explorers, out of the Atlantic 10 Conference, struggled to a 905 total that left them tied for 17^th place in the 18-team field with Evansville. La Salle opened with a 301 and added a 308 in Monday’s second round before closing with its best round of the week, an 8-over 296.

   Coming off a tie for third place at Turning Stone, Nieves again led the way for Delaware as he carded a pair of 3-under 69s before closing with a 68 that left him in a tie for fourth place at 10-under 206.

   Kedzlie matched par in the opening round with a 72 and added a 1-under 71 before his scintillating final-round 65 that left him among the group tied for ninth place at 8-under 208.

   Aryachatvkin struggled in the opening round with a 76, but came on strong with a 3-under 69 in Monday’s second round before his closing 68 left him among the group tied for 26^th place with a 3-under 213 total. Bargenda opened with a 2-under 70 and struggled a little with a 76 in Monday’s second round before adding his 3-under 69 to Delaware’s sizzling finish as he finished in a tie for 26^th place at 1-under 215.

   Owen Manchester, a sophomore from Irvine, Calif., rounded out the Delaware lineup as he matched par in each of the first two rounds with 72s, both of which were counters for the Blue Hens, before finishing up with a 78 to end up tied for 57^th place at 6-over 222.

   Xiong Da, a freshman from Murrieta, Calif., competed as an individual for Delaware and had a solid showing, matching par in Monday’s second round with a 72 after opening with a 75 and then closing with a 76 to finish among the group tied for 59^th place with a 223 total.

   The tournament’s individual champion, Wofford’s Harry Jones, a sophomore from Augusta, Ga., was also competing as an individual and cruised to the title. After blitzing the True Blue layout with an opening round of 7-under 65, Jones carded a 4-under 68 before closing with a sparkling 6-under 66 for a 17-under 199 total. Pretty sure Jones earned himself a promotion to the Terriers’ starting lineup with that performance.

   It was a record-setting week for McGrath, a product of the Academy of the New Church and the Huntingdon Valley Country Club junior program. He only trailed Jones by two shots going into the final round after adding a 68 to his opening round of 5-under 67. Another 4-under 68 in the final round earned him runnerup honors with a 13-under 203 total.

   McGrath’s 203 total was a program record by a shot and 13-under was a program record in relation to par by four shots. In addition to his Philly Am victory, McGrath also qualified for the U.S. Amateur at Oakmont Country Club this summer.

   Jacksonville State’s Maximo Portais, a senior from Argentina, was another two shots behind McGrath in third place with an 11-under 205 total. After opening with a 4-under 68, Portais struggled to a 1-over 73 in Monday’s second round before closing a sizzling 8-under 64 that matched the best round of the week.

   Joining Delaware’s Nieves in the tie for fourth place at 10-under was the first of three Mercer players to finish in the top six, Tobias Jonsson, a sophomore from Sweden who was only a shot behind Jones going into the final round after firing a pair of 5-under 67s before matching par in the final round with a 72.

   Two more Mercer players, Jay Spivey, a junior from Macon, Ga., and Martin Plukka, a senior from Finland, were among three players tied for sixth place at 9-under 207. Spivey opened with a 4-under 68, did that one better with a 5-under 67 in Monday’s second round before matching par with a 72 in the final round. Plukka was in the hunt for an individual title after opening with a sizzling 7-under 65 and adding a 3-under 69 in Monday’s second round before cooling off in the final round with a 1-over 73.

   Rounding out the trio at 207 was Campbell’s Henrik Lilja, a senior from Sweden who matched the low round of the week with an 8-under 64 in Monday’s second round after opening with a 74 and closed with a 3-under 69.

   Whatley backed up McGrath for Temple as his sizzling 66 in Monday’s second round followed a 74 in the opening round. He closed with a 1-over 73 to finish among the group tied for 21^st place at 3-under 213.

   Dawson Anders, Temple’s veteran senior who starred scholastically at Souderton, finished in the group tied for 38^th place at 1-over 217. The Golf Association of Philadelphia’s 2017 Junior Boys’ Championship winner, Anders added a 2-under 70 to his opening-round 73 before finishing up with a 74.

   Graham Chase, a sophomore from Charlotte, N.C., opened with a 75 for the Owls and added a 73 before closing with his best round of the week, a 2-under 70 as he joined the group tied for 42^nd place at 2-over 218.

   Rounding out the Temple lineup was freshman Joey Morganti, who was one of the top players in the Catholic League at St. Joseph’s Prep. Morganti, making his college debut, added a 78 to his opening-round 74 before closing with a solid 1-under 71 to finish among the group tied for 59^th place at 7-over 223.

   Drue Nicholas, a sophomore from Egg Harbor Townshhip, N.J., made a strong debut for Drexel as the North Carolina State transfer followed up a pair of 2-under 70s with a final round of 4-under 68 as he finished among the group tied for ninth place at 8-under 208.

   Veteran Dragon Angelo Giantsopoulos, a senior from Canada, bounced back from an opening-round 75 as he registered a 4-under 68 in Monday’s second round before closing with a 3-under 69 as he finished alone in 20^th place at 4-under 212.

   Another Drexel veteran, senior Jeffrey Cunningham of West Palm Beach, Fla., opened with a 1-under 71 and added a 74 before matching par with a 72 as he finished in a tie for 38^th place with a 1-over 217 total.

   Junior Liam Hart, who won the 2017 PIAA Class AAA crown as a junior at Holy Ghost  Prep, joined Delaware’s Manchester in the tie for 57^th place at 222 as bounced back from an opening-round 77 with a 2-under 70 in Monday’s second round before finishing up with a 75.

   Like Nicholas, Brockton English, a freshman from Shelby Township, Mich., was making his Drexel debut. English rounded out the Dragons lineup as he opened with a 77 and contributed a 1-under 71 to Drexel’s solid second-round showing Monday before closing with a 77 to finish in the group tied for 59^th place at 223.

   La Salle was led by Kristian Fortis, a junior from Key Largo, Fla. who finished among the group tied for 53^rd place at 5-over 221. After struggling to a 78 in the opening round, Fortis matched par in Monday’s second round with a 72 before finishing up with a solid 1-under 71.

   Junior Nikita Romanov, a product of Mount Pleasant High outside of Wilmington, Del. and the Philadelphia Section PGA Junior Tour, closed with a 1-over 73 after posting a pair of 75s as he finished in a tie for 59^th place at 7-over 223.

   Matthew Werner, a senior from West Linn, Ore., opened with a 2-over 74 for the Explorers and added a 78 in Monday’s second round before closing with a 75 to join the group tied for 78^th place at 227. Junior Karsen Rush, who starred scholastically at Chambersburg, opened with a 2-over 74, but struggled to an 83 in the second round before finishing up with a 77 as he ended up in a tie for 90^th place at 234.

   Rounding out the La Salle lineup was senior Parker Wine, a scholastic standout at Unionville who struggled at True Blue, sandwiching a 91 in Monday’s second round with a pair of 86s as he finished alone in 93^rd place at 263.