This Story Will Be Updated Saturday Night - Last Update 4/22/23 - 6:15 PM
BOARDMAN, Ohio – The Washington & Jefferson College men's golf team rallied back from a sizable deficit to capture the 2022-23 Presidents' Athletic Conference Championship.
The Presidents carded a 72-hole team score of 1211. Allegheny finished one-shot off the pace at 1212 and Westminster was third just two shots back at 1213.
The team title is the 21st in program history and the first since 2019-20. W&J will be making its ninth appearance at the NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championships, which are scheduled for May 16-19 at Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville, Kentucky.
W&J had entered the final round 13 shots back of Allegheny and in third place in the team standings. Undaunted by the task at hand, the Presidents carded a team score of 292 in the final round to capture the team title by the slimmest of margins. W&J totaled a score of 596 during the 36-hole spring competition, which outpaced both Allegheny (604) and Westminster (610) en route to the comeback.
Leading the comeback was
Cade Patterson (Irwin, Pa./Penn Trafford), who earned spring medalist honors with a three-over. Patterson shot a two-under round of 68 Saturday.
Colin Robinson (Inverness, Ill. William Fremd) was fourth at +9 this spring and
Andrew Platt (Somerset, Pa./Somerset) tied for fifth at +10. Platt made par on the par four 18th hole to secure the championship for the Presidents.
Matthew Lacek (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) finished in 12th place during the 36-hole spring championships.
Robinson and Patterson both earned All-PAC First Team honors. Robinson finished as the 72-hole runner up with a 298 (73/76/77/72) while Patterson was third at 299 (72/84/75/68).
Platt claimed a spot on the All-PAC Second Team. Platt carded a 72-hole total of 309 (82/77/73/77). Platt earned 2022-23 PAC Newcomer of the Year honors.
For his efforts in guiding the Presidents, eighth-year head coach
Matt Kluck was recognized as PAC Men's Golf Coach of the Year for a fifth time.
Both spring rounds were played at Mill Creek Golf Course in Boardman, Ohio. The teams and competitors played at the Donald Ross-designed South Course, a 6526-yard, par-70 layout.
After playing a 54-hole event last year, this year's PAC Championship returned to a 72-hole stroke play event. The 36 holes contested last fall were combined with this weekend's 36 holes. The fall championships were hosted by the Avalon Golf & Country Club, with the men completing their two fall championship rounds at the Avalon Lakes Golf Course in Warren, Ohio.
The combined 72-hole team totals determined the PAC team champion and winner of the league's automatic-qualifying bid to the NCAA Division III Championships. Team selections for the Division III Men's Championships will be announced Sunday, May 7, 2023.
Team Results (Fall & Spring)
1. Washington & Jefferson - 308-307-304-292 - 1,211 (+75)
2. Allegheny - 300-308-298-306 - 1,212 (+76)
3. Westminster - 310-293-305-305 - 1,213 (+77)
4. Grove City - 345-319-320-312 - 1,296 (+160)
5. Saint Vincent - 332-333-323-314 - 1,302 (+166)
6. Geneva - 324-345-319-317 - 1,305 (+169)
7. Waynesburg - 349-335-343-332 - 1,359 (+223)
8. Thiel - 338-333-363-360 - 1,394 (+258)
9. Bethany - n/a-n/a-427-426
