By Marc Weems
Two tournaments into the season, the young Youngstown State University men’s golf team has struggled but continued to move forward. The Penguins began the year with two tournaments.
The Youngstown State men’s golf team wrapped up play in the Jackrabbit Invitational at Boulder Creek Golf Club back on March 10. The Penguins were playing their first event of the Spring season after being away for nearly five months.
YSU finished in 12th place out of 15 teams with a three-round score of 907. The Penguins posted a solid 297 in the final round on after shooting 306 and 304 respectively in the first two rounds.
Kevin Scherr led the way with a three-round 224 (74-79-71) to finish in a tie for 41st. The freshman’s third-round 71 was his career-best and YSU’s lowest single-round score of the event. Scherr’s final round included three birdies and his third eagle of the season on No. 14.
C.J. Hughes and Dominic Carano each posted a 230 as Hughes shot 79-77-74 and Carano went 74-75-81. Carano’s first-round 74 matched his season-best and tied for YSU’s lowest score of the round. Carano posted four birdies in each of his first two rounds.
Justin Hallapy recorded a 231 (79-73-79) and his second-round 73 was the Penguins’ best score of the round. Hallapy carded 15 pars and a birdie in an extremely solid second-round performance.
Ken Keller turned in a 233 (80-80-73) and earned his first-career eagle on hole No. 11 to highlight an impressive final round. The freshman’s third-round 73 was his second-best, single-round score of the season.
Playing as an individual, Jason McQuown finished with a three-round 242 (79-78-85). The junior’s second-round 78 featured 12 pars and a birdie.
UNLV won the event by five strokes over UCLA with total score of 829 (283-283-263). The 263 posted by the Runnin’ Rebels in the final round was the best single-round team score of the event by seven strokes.
Devon Bling of UCLA took medalist honors by one stroke with a three-round 201 (67-69-65). UNLV’s Shintaro Ban finished just one stroke behind Bling in second place with a 202 (67-72-63). Ban’s third-round 63 was the lowest single-round score of the tournament.
The Penguins then played in their second event of the year in the Southern Intercollegiate hosted by the University of Georgia at Athens Country Club on Monday.
The Penguins were in action for the third time in four days after beginning their spring schedule at the Jackrabbit Invitational. YSU was competing against a very challenging field which included teams from the ACC, Big Ten and SEC back on March 12.
YSU finished 18th out of 18 teams with a total score of 642 in the one-day event after shooting a 322 in the first round and a 320 in the second round.
Ken Keller was YSU’s top finisher for the first time this season with a two-round 158 (77-81). The freshman’s first-round 77 was the Penguins’ best score of the round and he carded his second-career eagle on hole No. 6 in the second round. It was Keller’s second eagle in three days as he earned the first of his career during an impressive third round at the Jackrabbit Invitational on Saturday.
Justin Hallapy finished one stroke back of Keller with a score of 159 (83-76) while Kevin Scherr was just behind him with a 160 (80-80). Hallapy’s second-round 76 was YSU’s lowest single-round score of the event. C.J. Hughes posted a 166 (82-84) while Dominic Carano turned in a 168 (85-83).
The University of Arkansas won the event by 17 strokes at 9-under par with a two-round total of 567 (285-282). The Razorbacks’ second-round 282 was the best single-round team score of the tournament. Kennesaw State University and one of Georgia’s two teams in the field tied for second place.
Arkansas teammates Alvaro Ortiz and Luis Garza shared medalist honors as each finished with a 3-under-par 141. After shooting a 74 and finishing the first round in a tie for 16th, Ortiz carded a tournament-low 67 in the second round to climb to the top of the leaderboard. Garza posted a 68 in the first round and followed it up with a 73 in the second.
YSU will be back on the course March 25-27 at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va. for the Kingsmill Intercollegiate hosted by William & Mary.