Zerfass earns share of individual title, helps Villanova finish second in Golden Horseshoe Intercollegiate

 

   Matt Zerfass, a three-time PIAA Class AAA qualifier during a standout scholastic career at Emmaus, started his college career at Saint Joseph’s, but headed for the Main Line and Villanova two years ago and, as a senior, has been a top performer for the Wildcats.

   Zerfass got a share of the individual title with Navy senior Jack Tarzy, a South Jersey native who was a regular on Philadelphia Section PGA Junior Tour leaderboards as a junior golfer, in the Golden Horseshoe Intercollegiate, which wrapped up Tuesday at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Course, a Robert Trent Jones design in Williamsburg, Va.

   Zerfass closed with a sparkling 4-under-par 67 over the 6,817-yard, par-71 Golden Horseshoe layout to catch Tarzy, who played scholastically at The Hun School of Princeton, for the individual crown, each ending up with a 5-under 208 total.

   It was the second individual title of the wraparound 2025-2026 season for Zerfass, who was the outright winner in the Big 5 Championship in October at The 1912 Club.

   Zerfass opened with a 1-under 70 before matching par in the afternoon of Monday’s double round with a 71.

   He has formed a nice 1-2 punch for Villanova with Ryan “Coop” Pamer, a senior from Hudson, Ohio who finished among a quartet of players tied for ninth place at Golden Horseshoe with a 1-over 214 total.

   They led the way as the Wildcats earned a runnerup finish to tournament host William & Mary, a Coastal Athletic Association entry and the highest-ranked team in the field in the Scoreboard, powered by clippd, rankings at No. 133.

   The Tribe took control of the Golden Horseshoe Intercollegiate right from the outset with a 6-under 278, the best team round of the tournament, in the opening round. After adding a 2-over 286 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round, William & Mary took a six-shot lead over Navy into Tuesday’s final round.

   The Tribe closed with another 2-over 286 that gave them a 2-under 850 total and their second team title of the wraparound 2025-’26 season. William & Mary was the only team to finish under par for the tournament.

   William & Mary had three players in the top 10 in the individual standings, led by Eli Felty, a freshman from North Chesterfield, Va. who finished in a tie for fourth place with Virginia’s Michael Lee, a freshman from Fairfax, Va. competing as an individual, as they both landed on 3-under 210.

   Felty added a 2-over 73 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round to his solid opening-round of 3-under 68 before closing with a 2-under 69.

   Backing up Felty for the Tribe were Grady Williams, a sophomore from Manakin-Sabot, Va., and Talon Dingledine, a freshman from Chesterfield, Va., both of whom joined Villanova’s Pamer in the quartet tied for ninth place at 1-over.

   Williams sandwiched a 1-under 70 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round with a pair of 1-over 72s while Dingledine followed up a solid opening round of 3-under 68 with a pair of 2-over 73s.

   Villanova, a Big East representative, opened with a 1-over 285 and added a 5-over 289 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round that left the Wildcats in third place, four shots behind Navy and 10 shots behind front-running William & Mary, going into the final round.

   Villanova closed with a second straight 5-over 289 to finish 13 shots behind William & Mary in second place with an 11-over 863 total.

   Pamer backed up Zerfass as he added a solid 2-under 69 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round to his opening round of 1-over 72 before closing with a 2-over 73 to join the William & Mary pair of Williams and Dingledine and Lafayette’s Reed Theiss, a sophomore from Leesburg, Va., in the foursome tied for ninth place at 1-over.

   Navy, out of the Patriot League, opened with a 2-under 282 and added a 4-over 288 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round to creep within six shots of William & Mary going into the final round.

   The Midshipmen closed with a 13-over 297 to finish in third place with a 15-over 867 total that left them four shots behind Villanova.

   Navy was led by Tarzy, who built a two-shot lead going into the final round with a pair of 3-under 68s in Monday’s double round.

   He closed with a 1-over 72 to get a share of medalist honors with Villanova’s Zerfass at 5-under.

   It was Tarzy’s fourth individual victory of the season as he got on quite a heater during the fall campaign, rattling off three straight wins in The Goat, hosted by Navy at its home course, the Naval Academy Golf Club in Annapolis, Md., the Commander-in-Chief’s Cup at the famed Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y. and the Nassau Intercollegiate at Nassau Country Club in Glen Cove, N.Y. on Long Island.

   Navy also got a strong showing from Chip Deegan, a senior from Newport Beach, Calif. who finished a shot behind Tarzy and Zerfass in third place with a 4-under 209 total.

   Deegan blitzed the Golden Horseshoe layout with an opening round of 5-under 66, the low individual round of the tournament. He backed off with a 4-over 75 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a solid 2-under 68.

   Longwood, a Big South Conference entry, finished three shots behind Navy in fourth place in the team standings with an 18-over 870 total.

   The Lancers opened with a 2-over 286 and added a 6-over 290 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 291.

   Nice showing by Saint Joseph’s, out of the Atlantic 10, as the Hawks finished four shots behind Longwood in fifth place with a 22-over 874 total.

   St. Joe’s was solid throughout, opening with a 6-over 290 and adding a 293 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 291.

   The Hawks were led by George Williamson Jr., a freshman from Sykesville, Md., and junior Noah Moelter, who capped his scholastic career at Central Bucks South by finishing in a tie for sixth place in the PIAA Class AAA Championship as a senior in 2022, as they finished sixth and seventh, respectively, in the individual standings.

   Williamson opened with a solid 3-under 68 and added a 1-over 72 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before matching par in the final round with a 71 to end up in sixth place with a 2-under 211 total.

   Moelter opened with a 1-under 70 and added a 2-over 73 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before finishing strong with a 2-under 69 that left him a shot behind his teammate Williamson in seventh place with a 1-under 212 total.

   Georgetown, one of Villanova’s Big East rivals, was another seven shots behind Saint Joseph’s in sixth place with a 29-over 881 total. The Hoyas matched par in the opening round with a 284 and added a 12-over 296 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before struggling in the final round with a 301.

   Delaware, in its first season as a member of Conference USA, finished in eighth place in the 12-team field with a 34-over 886 total. After opening with a 14-over 298, the Blue Hens added a 293 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 295.

   Rounding out the William & Mary lineup was the pair of Preston Burton, a junior from Charlottesville, Va., and Matthew Monastero, a graduate student from Leesburg, Va., both of whom finished among the group tied for 13^th place with a 2-over 215 total.

   Burton sandwiched an even-par 71 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round with a pair of 1-over 72s. After opening with a 1-under 70, Monastero added a 1-over 72 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 2-over 73.

   William & Mary head coach Tim Pemberton took advantage of the Tribe’s home event to send out four players to compete as individuals.

   Luke Walmet, a junior from Charleston, S.C., finished among a trio of players tied for 43^rd place with a 226 total. Walmet matched par in the opening round with a 71 and added a 7-over 78 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 77.

   Matthew Guy, a freshman from Baltimore, Md., finished in a tie for 78^th place with a 241 total as he added an 8-over 79 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round to his opening-round 78 before closing with an 84.

   James Gayle, a freshman from Bristol, Va., finished in a tie for 84^th place with a 246 total as he opened with a 5-over 76 and added an 86 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with an 84.

   Rounding out the William & Mary contingent was Davis Adams, a senior from Raleigh, N.C. who finished in 86^th place with a 250 total as opened with a 7-over 78 before struggling to an 81 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round and a 91 in the final round.

   Virginia, the reigning Atlantic Coast Conference champion and No. 2 in the Scoreboard rankings, sent some of its depth players to Williamsburg and Lee finished in a tie for fourth place with William & Mary’s Felty at 3-under.

   After matching par in the opening round with a 71, Lee added a 2-under 69 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 1-under 70.

   Liberty, a Conference USA representative, did the same as Virginia, sending a few players to compete as individuals, but not a full team to the Golden Horseshoe Intercollegiate and the Flames got a solid showing from Luke Libbey, a sophomore from Lynchburg, Va. who finished alone in eighth place with an even-par 213 total.

   Libbey only trailed Navy’s Tarzy by three shots going into the final round after Libbey opened with a 3-under 68 and matched par in the afternoon of Monday’s double round with a 71. Libbey backed off a little with a 4-over 75 in the final round.

   Lafayette’s Theiss rounded out the foursome tied for ninth place 1-over as he opened with a 1-under 70 and added a 2-over 73 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before matching par in the final round with a 71.

   Theiss led the Leopards, one of Navy’s Patriot League rivals, to a seventh-place finish as they ended up three shots behind Georgetown with a 32-over 884 total.

   Backing up Zerfass and Pamer for Villanova was Vibhav Alokam, a sophomore from Ypsilanti, Mich. who finished in a tie for 26^th place with a 6-over 219 total. After matching par in the opening round with a 71, Alokam added a 5-over 76 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 72.

   Brockton English, a graduate student from Shelby Township, Mich., finished among the group tied for 33^rd place for the Wildcats with a 9-over 222 total. English added a 2-over 73 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round to his opening-round 72 before finishing up with a 77.

   Rounding out the Villanova lineup was Nathan Marion, a junior from San Antonio, Texas who finished in the group tied for 46^th place with a 227 total. After opening with a 2-over 73, Marion added a 5-over 76 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 78.

   Luke Leonard, a freshman from Jupiter, Fla., teed it up as an individual for Villanova and finished alone in 61^st place with a 232 total. Leonard sandwiched a 5-over 76 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round with a pair of 78s.

   Backing up Williamson and Moelter for Saint Joseph’s was senior Christian Matt, a two-time PIAA Class AAA qualifier during a standout scholastic career at Wissahickon as he finished among the group tied for 38^th place with a 224 total. Matt sandwiched a solid 1-over 72 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round with a pair of 76s.

   Rounding out the lineup for the Hawks was a pair of freshmen, Michael Henry Jr., a standout for Inter-Ac League power Malvern Prep, and Sam Feeney, whose scholastic career at West Chester Rustin was highlighted by a victory in the District One Class AAA Championship as a senior in 2023, as they both landed among a trio tied for 57^th place at 230.

   Henry added a 6-over 77 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round to his opening-round 78 before closing with his best round of the tournament, a 4-over 75. Feeney carded a pair of 5-over 76s in Monday’s double round before finishing up with a 78.

   Leading the way for Delaware was Arsit Areephun, a junior from Thailand who finished in the group tied for 20^th place with a 4-over 217 total. Areephun recorded a pair of 2-over 73s in Monday’s double round before matching par in the final round with a 71.

   Backing up Areephun for the Blue Hens was Aryan Vuradi, a senior from Brambleton, Va. who finished among the group tied for 29^th place at 8-over 221. Vuradi was really solid in Monday’s double round, adding a 1-under 70 in the afternoon to his opening round of 2-over 73 before backing off a little with a final-round 78.

   Cheng-En Wu, a freshman from Taiwan, finished alone in 42^nd place at 225 for Delaware as he registered three straight 3-over 75s.

   Ikk Iampongsai, a sophomore from Thailand, finished in the group tied for 46^th place at 227 for the Blue Hens as he opened with a 6-over 77 and added back-to-back 75s in the final two rounds.

   Rounding out the Delaware lineup was junior Matthew Homer, the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association champion as a junior at The Tatnall School in 2022 and the Delaware Junior Boys’ Championship winner later that summer.

   Homer bounced back from an opening-round 81 with a 7-over 78 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 74 as he finished in a tie for 62^nd place with a 233 total.

   Caleb Itzoe, a sophomore from Phoenix, Md., competed as an individual for Delaware and joined St. Joe’s Henry and Feeney in the trio tied for 57^th place 230. Itzoe got off to a solid start with a 1-over 72, but struggled a little in the final two rounds with an 80 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round and a 78 in the final round.

   Hunter Swidzinski, the PIAA Class AAA champion in 2023 as a senior at Butler, was in the lineup for Longwood and finished in the group tied for 29^th place with an 8-over 221 total. After opening with a 3-over 74, Swidzinski struggled a little with a 77 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a solid 1-under 70.

   Also in the group at tied for 29^th place at 8-over was Robert Morris redshirt senior Chuck Tragresser, the runnerup in the PIAA Class AAA Championship in 2020 as a senior at Franklin Regional. After struggling a little in the opening round with a 6-over 77, Tragresser added a 2-over 73 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before matching par in the final round with a 71.

   The Colonials, who play out of the Horizon League, finished in ninth place in the team standings, six shots behind Delaware with a 49-over 892 total.

   A couple of familiar names in the Lafayette lineup, including junior Winston Kelenc-Blank, a guy who, like Navy’s Tarzy, would often show up on Philly Junior Tour leaderboards as a junior golfer.

   Kelenc-Blank, who played scholastically at Peddie School and Choate Rosemary Hall, finished in the group tied for 33^rd place with a 9-over 222 total. Kelenc-Blank sandwiched a 1-over 72 in the afternoon of Monday’s second round with a pair of 75s.

   Freshman Chris Vahey, who closed out his scholastic career at Catholic League power La Salle by finishing in a tie for ninth place in the PIAA Class AAA Championship in 2024, teed it up as an individual for Lafayette and finished in 74^th place with a 237 total.

   Vahey tallied back-to-back 81s in Monday’s double round before closing with a 4-over 75.

   Another member of the Liberty contingent competing as individuals was junior Evan Barbin of the golfing Barbin family of Elkton, Md. Barbin was solid, finishing in the group tied for 24^th place with a 5-over 218 total. He added a 3-over 74 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round to his opening-round 73 before matching par in the final round with a 71.