Skidmore College defeated the University of Rochester to capture its 18th Liberty League men's golf championship.
Skidmore defeats Rochester in team playoff to capture Liberty League Men’s Golf Championship
2015-16 Liberty League Men's Golf Championship Results (PDF)
BALDWINSVILLE, N.Y. – Seventy-two holes over two seasons were not enough to decide the Liberty League men’s golf champion. Skidmore College needed a one-hole team playoff to defeat the University of Rochester to retain the league championship Sunday at Timber Banks Golf Club.
The Thoroughbreds compiled a 72-hole team score of 1,225 and earned their 18th Liberty League/UCAA men’s golf title and will receive the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship, May 10-13, at Midvale Country Club and Mendon Golf Club in Rochester, N.Y.
Rochester finished tied for first at 1,225. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1,237) finished third, edging St. Lawrence University (1,238) by one shot. Clarkson University (1,296) and NYU (1,296) tied for fifth with Hobart College (1,406) finishing seventh after competing with just four players during the final two rounds due to an injury withdrawal.
University of Rochester senior Dominic Schumacher was the tournament medalist, shooting a four-round total of 300. Skidmore College junior Mackenzie Nelson finished as the runner-up, one shot behind with a four-round total of 301.
The format of the championship consisted of 72 holes – 36 in the fall, which were held at Potsdam Country Club in September, and 36 this spring at Timber Banks. Rochester entered the spring portion of the championship with a five-stroke advantage. Skidmore posted a 315 team score in windy conditions on Saturday to pull even with Rochester, which shot a third-round score of 320.
Rochester got off to a strong start to the final round, taking an early three-shot lead over Skidmore. The Thoroughbreds answered back. When Nelson rolled in a birdie on the 18th hole (the teams started Sunday’s round on the 10th hole), Skidmore held a nine-stroke lead.
Rochester began to chip away with a strong second nine, eventually taking the lead over the final holes. As the final group came to the tournament’s 72nd hole, Rochester held a one-shot lead. Nelson, who came up just short of the green with his second shot, chipped to within 10 feet and then drained a par-saving putt to send the championship to a playoff.
In the team playoff, the five golfers from each team played the par-4, first hole with the cumulative total of the top four scores determining the champion. Skidmore recorded a cumulative total of 16 with junior Teddy Badenhausen, junior Mitchell Campbell, senior Tim Manwaring and Nelson all recording pars. Rochester counted two pars and two double-bogeys in its four scores for a cumulative total of 20.