HAMILTON, N.Y. — Anchored by the play of All-Patriot League performer
Chad Deegan (Costa Mesa, Calif.), Navy shot a three-round 22-over par 886 (301-293-292) to place sixth at the 2019 Patriot League Men's Golf Championship played at Colgate's Seven Oaks Golf Club in Hamilton, N.Y. The 886 marked the Mids' lowest score among its five Patriot League Championship appearances at the Seven Oaks Golf Club, including the 1998 championship when Navy took the team title with an 894 (+30).
The eight-team field managed to finish just a single round on Saturday after play was suspended early in the second due to dangerous playing conditions. Temperatures dipped into the 30s, while the golfers were forced to play through rain and snow showers, as well as wind gusts in upwards of 25-30 miles per hour, in the opening round.
Play resumed Sunday morning with dry conditions, but temperatures still overing in the mid-40s.
Army opened the day in sixth place, but just three strokes behind tournament leader Lehigh. The Black Knights were spectacular on the greens in Sunday's second and third rounds and went on to capture the 2019 Patriot League Championship crown with a 1-over par 865 (302-285-278). Army shot the low round of the tournament over the final 18 holes to hold off Lafayette, who placed second with a 9-over par 873 (300-289-284). Rounding out the field was Colgate (300-292-282=874) in third, followed by Bucknell (300-286-293=879), Loyola (305-292-288=885), Navy (301-293-292=886), Holy Cross (311-294-289=894) and Lehigh (299-311-293=903).
Colgate's Ryan Skae, Army's Nick Turner and Lafayette's Will Halamandaris all tied for the individual lead with a 2-under par 214, and Halamandaris went on to win the individual title and a bid to the NCAA Championship regionals with a par on the fourth playoff hole.
"Conditions were better today and we played well in the third round, but we could not convert as many birdies as our competition," said 29th-year Navy head coach
Pat Owen. "We played with Army all three rounds and they were red ho overt the last 36 holes, going 13 under par for those two rounds.
Chad Deegan was steady throughout the tournament and earned All-Patriot League recognition."
Deegan opened the day in second place after opening the tournament with a 1-under par 71 and just one stroke out of the lead. The rookie went on to close out a top-10 finish and capture Second-Team All-Patriot League recognition after putting together rounds of 75 and 74 on Sunday to tie for ninth with a 4-over par 220.
Placing among the top 20 for the Mids was
Charlie Musto (So / Sterling, Va.), who was last year's Patriot League Rookie of the Year and Individual Medalist. Musto rebounded from his opening-round 78, to shoot 1-under in the second and 1-over in the third. He finished 17th with a 6-over par 222.
Making his final appearance in a Patriot League championship was senior
Griffin Peters (Fountain Hills, Ariz.), who, along with first-time participant
Michael Brennan (Locust Valley, N.Y.), placed 24th with a 9-over par 225. Peters shot rounds of 78, 74 and 73, while Brennan carded marks of 74, 76, 75.
Team captain
Paul Mauer (Sr / Eagleville, Pa.) placed 28th (80-73-73=226) and
Thomas Garbee (Jr / Asheville, N.C.) took 45th (83-79-73=235).
2019 Patriot League Men's Golf Championship
Winning Team: Army (302-285-278=865)
Individual Medalist: Will Halamandaris, Lafayette (72-72-70=214) *won playoff
Rookie of the Year: Dean Naime, Colgate (74-75-67=216)
Coach of the Year: Chad Bagley, Army
First-Team All-Patriot League
Ryan Skae, Colgate; Nick Turner, Army; Will Halamndaris, Lafayette; Dean Naime, Colgate; Evan Brown, Loyola
Second-Team All-Patriot League
Cole Berger, Lafayette; Justin Williamson, Army; Chris Tanabe, Bucknell; Joe Egan, Holy Cross; Sam Mcgee, Army; Matt Plunkett, Army;
Chad Deegan, Navy
### Go Navy ###
