Penn State holds off Duke to start season with Rod Myers win
9/9/2018 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
see also: View results for Rod Myers Invitational, Duke University Golf Club
Penn State held off Duke, the home team, to win the Rod Myers Invitational in its fall debut
DURHAM, N.C. (Sept. 9, 2018) – Penn State won in its first start of the season Sunday at Duke University Golf Club. The Nittany Lions finished two shots ahead of the host at the Rod Myers Invitational.
Penn State grabbed the lead Saturday on a 36-hole day when the team went 11 under. Its opening 10-under 278 was the best round of any team during the 54-hole event. It left Penn State two shots ahead of North Carolina entering the afternoon round. Both Duke and Carolina returned rounds of 2-under 286 while Penn State had a 1-under 287 to safely maintain its lead entering the final round.
On Sunday, Duke fired 8-under 280 and briefly held the lead before Penn State regained it.
"We talked last night about defending our turf and finding ways to put more pressure on the golf course than we did Saturday," Duke head coach Jamie Green said. "Nobody wants to have to climb from too much of a deficit, but we’re so proud of how the guys stepped up today.”
The Lions had a final-round 1-under 287 and, in the end, won with a 12-under total. They were two shots ahead of both Duke and North Carolina.
"Winning this tournament title had everything to do with a collective team effort right down to the wire," said Penn State men's golf coach Greg Nye. "We were in a really good frame of mind going into the final hole, and things turned out for the Nittany Lions. I'm awfully proud of the way we went about our business."
Duke and North Carolina were ranked No. 18 and 22, respectively, in the Golfweek/Bushnell preseason coaches poll to start the season. Florida State, eight shots behind Penn State in fourth, was ranked No. 25. Penn State was not ranked.
Penn State claimed three players in the top 15 including Charles Huntzinger in a tie for sixth at 4 under, J.D. Hughes in 11th at 2 under, and Ryan Dornes tied for 12th at 1 under.
Florida State’s John Pak easily won the individual title with a 13-under 203 total. He was seven shots ahead of Duke’s Chandler Eaton. Three players tied for third individually at 5 under, including North Carolina’s Ryan Burnett, Duke’s Harrison Taee, and Cincinnati’s Austin Squires, who was a quarterfinalist at the U.S. Amateur last month.
Information from Penn State Athletics, Duke Athletics used in this report
Penn State grabbed the lead Saturday on a 36-hole day when the team went 11 under. Its opening 10-under 278 was the best round of any team during the 54-hole event. It left Penn State two shots ahead of North Carolina entering the afternoon round. Both Duke and Carolina returned rounds of 2-under 286 while Penn State had a 1-under 287 to safely maintain its lead entering the final round.
"We talked last night about defending our turf and finding ways to put more pressure on the golf course than we did Saturday," Duke head coach Jamie Green said. "Nobody wants to have to climb from too much of a deficit, but we’re so proud of how the guys stepped up today.”
The Lions had a final-round 1-under 287 and, in the end, won with a 12-under total. They were two shots ahead of both Duke and North Carolina.
"Winning this tournament title had everything to do with a collective team effort right down to the wire," said Penn State men's golf coach Greg Nye. "We were in a really good frame of mind going into the final hole, and things turned out for the Nittany Lions. I'm awfully proud of the way we went about our business."
Duke and North Carolina were ranked No. 18 and 22, respectively, in the Golfweek/Bushnell preseason coaches poll to start the season. Florida State, eight shots behind Penn State in fourth, was ranked No. 25. Penn State was not ranked.
Penn State claimed three players in the top 15 including Charles Huntzinger in a tie for sixth at 4 under, J.D. Hughes in 11th at 2 under, and Ryan Dornes tied for 12th at 1 under.
Florida State’s John Pak easily won the individual title with a 13-under 203 total. He was seven shots ahead of Duke’s Chandler Eaton. Three players tied for third individually at 5 under, including North Carolina’s Ryan Burnett, Duke’s Harrison Taee, and Cincinnati’s Austin Squires, who was a quarterfinalist at the U.S. Amateur last month.
Information from Penn State Athletics, Duke Athletics used in this report
Results: Rod Myers Invitational
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scotch Plains, NJ | 600 | 62-69-72=203 | |
| 2 | Alpharetta, GA | 400 | 73-70-67=210 | |
| T3 | Union, KY | 300 | 74-68-69=211 | |
| T3 | Lafayette, CA | 300 | 68-73-70=211 | |
| T3 | , England | 300 | 70-67-74=211 |
About the Rod Myers Invitational
54-hole men's college tournament hosted by Duke University and named after former Duke golf coach Rod Myers. Team (best four scores out of five players each round) and individual competitions. Played at The Duke University Golf Club, a Rees Jones des...
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