
Mountain Hawks to host Patriot League Championship this weekend at Saucon Valley CC
4/26/2018 12:27:00 PM | Men's Golf
Live Scoring | Patriot League Championship home
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – For the first time since 2013, the Patriot League Men's Golf Championship returns to Saucon Valley Country Club as Lehigh prepares to host the two-day, 54-hole league championship beginning Saturday morning on the Grace Course.
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The Mountain Hawks have won three Patriot League titles, the most recent coming in 2013 the last time Lehigh hosted the league championship. With a talented and experienced core, Lehigh feels like this may be the year that the Mountain Hawks can make a run for the top spot.
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Saucon Valley Country Club, founded in 1920, has grown from 18 holes and a clubhouse to become one of the largest private clubs in North America. It encompasses 800 acres and consists of four courses, including the Weyhill Course, Old Course, Grace Course and Short Course. The Grace Course opened with nine holes in the fall of 1953 with the second nine opened for play in 1958. Named for Eugene Gifford Grace (Lehigh Class of 1899), longtime president and chairman of Bethlehem Steel, the Grace Course will play at 7,091 yards to a par 72 for the Patriot League Championship, and features greens nearly twice the size of those on the Old Course but without the severe contours.
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Lehigh is one of eight teams that will be vying for the Patriot League's automatic bid to the regional round of the NCAA Men's Golf Championship. The individual champion will also earn a bid to NCAAs if he is not a member of the championship team.
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The Patriot League championship features a play six, score four format. The individual champion will be named the Patriot League Golfer of the Year, while the highest finishing freshman receives the sport's Rookie of the Year honor. Head coaches from all eight schools will vote on the Patriot League Coach of the Year award.
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There will also be a 10-member All-Patriot League Team based on finish at the championship. The top five finishers (including ties) make the first-team squad, and all remaining finishers up to 10th place (including ties) qualify for the second-team.Â
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Lehigh's six-player entrant features senior Billy Johns, sophomores Owen Quinn and Ryan Kelly and juniors Johnny Hsu, Eamon Marone and Max Redetzke.
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Kelly was Lehigh's top finisher in last year's championship at Bucknell, earning first team All-Patriot League honors and the league's Rookie of the Year award after tying for fifth place.
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Hsu and Quinn tied for 13th last year with Hsu recording a hole-in-one on the 16th hole in the final round.
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Lehigh has enjoyed a strong spring since returning north from its two early-season Florida tournaments. In April, the Mountain Hawks finished second in Lafayette's 16-team invitational, seventh out of 19 teams at Villanova, and tied for second out of 13 teams at Navy. In the fall, Lehigh won its own invitational, defeating league rivals Bucknell, Lafayette and Colgate. Johns and Hsu tied for individual medalist honors in that 36-hole event.
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In addition to its 2013 championship, Lehigh also won team titles in 1996 and 1997. Two Mountain Hawks have claimed the individual title: current head coach Henry D'Alberto in 1996 and Bowen Osborn in 2001.
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Lehigh will be paired with Lafayette for Saturday's first two rounds. The Mountain Hawks and Leopards will tee off on from the 10th hole for round one, beginning at 8:54 a.m., and will play off of hole 1 beginning at 1:24 p.m. for round two. Sunday's action will begin at 8 a.m.
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Loyola is the defending team champion and has won three of the four team titles since joining the league in 2014.
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Live scoring for the Patriot League Championship will be available on Golfstat.com.
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – For the first time since 2013, the Patriot League Men's Golf Championship returns to Saucon Valley Country Club as Lehigh prepares to host the two-day, 54-hole league championship beginning Saturday morning on the Grace Course.
Â
The Mountain Hawks have won three Patriot League titles, the most recent coming in 2013 the last time Lehigh hosted the league championship. With a talented and experienced core, Lehigh feels like this may be the year that the Mountain Hawks can make a run for the top spot.
Â
Saucon Valley Country Club, founded in 1920, has grown from 18 holes and a clubhouse to become one of the largest private clubs in North America. It encompasses 800 acres and consists of four courses, including the Weyhill Course, Old Course, Grace Course and Short Course. The Grace Course opened with nine holes in the fall of 1953 with the second nine opened for play in 1958. Named for Eugene Gifford Grace (Lehigh Class of 1899), longtime president and chairman of Bethlehem Steel, the Grace Course will play at 7,091 yards to a par 72 for the Patriot League Championship, and features greens nearly twice the size of those on the Old Course but without the severe contours.
Â
Lehigh is one of eight teams that will be vying for the Patriot League's automatic bid to the regional round of the NCAA Men's Golf Championship. The individual champion will also earn a bid to NCAAs if he is not a member of the championship team.
Â
The Patriot League championship features a play six, score four format. The individual champion will be named the Patriot League Golfer of the Year, while the highest finishing freshman receives the sport's Rookie of the Year honor. Head coaches from all eight schools will vote on the Patriot League Coach of the Year award.
Â
There will also be a 10-member All-Patriot League Team based on finish at the championship. The top five finishers (including ties) make the first-team squad, and all remaining finishers up to 10th place (including ties) qualify for the second-team.Â
Â
Lehigh's six-player entrant features senior Billy Johns, sophomores Owen Quinn and Ryan Kelly and juniors Johnny Hsu, Eamon Marone and Max Redetzke.
Â
Kelly was Lehigh's top finisher in last year's championship at Bucknell, earning first team All-Patriot League honors and the league's Rookie of the Year award after tying for fifth place.
Â
Hsu and Quinn tied for 13th last year with Hsu recording a hole-in-one on the 16th hole in the final round.
Â
Lehigh has enjoyed a strong spring since returning north from its two early-season Florida tournaments. In April, the Mountain Hawks finished second in Lafayette's 16-team invitational, seventh out of 19 teams at Villanova, and tied for second out of 13 teams at Navy. In the fall, Lehigh won its own invitational, defeating league rivals Bucknell, Lafayette and Colgate. Johns and Hsu tied for individual medalist honors in that 36-hole event.
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In addition to its 2013 championship, Lehigh also won team titles in 1996 and 1997. Two Mountain Hawks have claimed the individual title: current head coach Henry D'Alberto in 1996 and Bowen Osborn in 2001.
Â
Lehigh will be paired with Lafayette for Saturday's first two rounds. The Mountain Hawks and Leopards will tee off on from the 10th hole for round one, beginning at 8:54 a.m., and will play off of hole 1 beginning at 1:24 p.m. for round two. Sunday's action will begin at 8 a.m.
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Loyola is the defending team champion and has won three of the four team titles since joining the league in 2014.
Â
Live scoring for the Patriot League Championship will be available on Golfstat.com.
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Players Mentioned
Men's Golf Season Preview
Sunday, March 23