Fighting Scots Golf Team Comes Oooooh So Close!

VIENNA, WV--The annual WVIAC golf tournament at Cacapon State Park, April 16 – 18, produced some of the highest drama possible as the Scots came storming back from an eleven stroke deficit in the final 18 holes to pull even with second round leader University of Charleston in the 54-hole event. The Scots final round 295 was just enough to catch the Golden Eagles and force a tie-breaker.

By conference rule, team title ties are broken with the inclusion into the final scoring tally of the fifth players’ scores from each team. Team scores in tournament play are the total of the best four of five from each team. The rule would prove to be the undoing of the Scots’ bid for their second championship since becoming eligible for WVIAC play in 2003.

“Due to a player disqualification in the second round, we had no fifth player score,” Coach Larry Lyons explained. “So Charleston got the trophy.”

The disqualification came when freshman Ben Rudkins (Barrie, ON) exercised his right to play two balls on a hole when his playing partners could not agree how he should proceed after his initial shot came to rest in a questionable situation. “The rules allow a player to do that and then get a ruling from tournament officials later,” Lyons said. “The player in that situation will play both balls and record both scores for that hole and the rules officials will decide which score to count after the round is completed.”

Ironically, Rudkins scored the same score on both balls, but he failed to notify the officials of his decision to play two balls when he reported his score later in the day. Despite the fact that there would be no change in his total score had he reported as required, he suffered a disqualification for that round.

The loss of Rudkins’ score proved to be a double whammy for the Scots. The 77 he shot in the round would have resulted in a five stroke team victory in regulation play, and it left the team without a fifth man score to break the tie when play was concluded on the 6900 yard, par-72 layout near Berkeley Springs, WV.

“What can you say?” Lyons mused. “That’s golf!” “Ben was upset, but these things happen in tournament play,” senior captain Greg Lemenchick (Renfrew, ON) related. “Don’t feel sorry for him; feel sorry for UC. They had to go home with a trophy they knew they should’ve won on the course.”

Despite the outcome, nothing should overshadow the remarkable performance of the Fighting Scots. With three freshmen in the starting line who had never seen the tough Robert Trent Jones designed course, and a two time all-conference, all-region performer sitting at home nursing an injured hand, few observers gave the squad much of a chance as the 15 conference teams headed to the eastern panhandle. “I thought we could surprise some folks,” Coach Lyons mentioned. “But after that first 27, I knew we would really need some heroics to get back in it.”

The heroics came initially from the consistent play of freshman Gianni Hild (Frankfurt, Germany). His three rounds of 74 – 76 – 75 challenged Michael Todd of UC for tournament medalist. Hild’s 225 left him in the runner-up position, just two strokes short of Todd’s 223. “I couldn’t be prouder of Gianni,” Coach Lyons beamed. “He struggled with his game in the fall season, but he was one of the primary reasons for our turn-around this spring.”

The Scots’ final round comeback was fueled in part by the play of sophomore J.C. Beecroft (Newcastle, ONT). His two-under 70 in the final 18, coupled with freshman Paul Raines’ (Maidenhead, UK) one-over 73, were the key elements in getting the Scots to the tie-breaker that never happened. Beecroft was named to the all-conference first team for the second consecutive year.

“No, we did not get the trophy that we all felt, in our heart of hearts, that we had won,” Coach Lyons observed. Ben’s mistake was just that…a mistake. He wasn’t trying to cheat anyone, and that’s what’s most important here.”

“Everyone who plays competitive golf knows from experience how punitive even an accidental error can be,” he added. “The important thing is to learn and go on. This team is going to have a lot more chances at some big wins for our school. We’ll keep our heads up.”

The team’s next opportunity for golfing glory will come May 7 – 9 in the NCAA, D-II East Super Regional to be played at Oglebay Park’s Spiedel course in Wheeling, WV. The Fighting Scots golf team has qualified for the tournament each year since becoming eligible for championship play in the NCAA. But the team has yet to win the 54-hole event which would automatically qualify them for the national championship tournament.