Career: Saw action in 15 tournaments and one single-round event…Recorded stroke average of 74.03 in 31 rounds…Carded career-low 70 score in final round of 2019 Rod Myers Invitational and was top Penn State finisher with teammate Lou Olsakovsky (t-13th)...Registered first career top-10 finish at 2019 Challenge of Champions (tied for third)...Received Penn State Big Ten Sportsmanship Award in 2020.
2021-22 | Graduate Season
Season: Saw action in four tournaments, two of which while playing as an individual.
Mountaineer Invitational (10/4-5): Grabbed a top-10 finish while playing as an individual after shooting a 4-under, 212, and finishing tied for sixth place. Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate (10/10-12): Carded an 11-over, 227. Florida Gators Invitational (2/12-13): Shot a 19-over, 229. Rutherford Intercollegiate (4/16-17): Tied for 15th while playing as an individual and shooting a 6-over, 219.
2020-21 | Senior Season
Season: Saw action in three tournaments, one of which while playing as an individual.
Rutherford Intercollegiate (4/17-18): Played as an individual and put together best performance of his senior season with a +3 216 that finished tied for 12th. Kepler Intercollegiate (4/24-25): Finished tied for 22nd with a +6 219. Big Ten Championship (4/30-5/2): Competed in first-career Big Ten Championship, finishing tied for 51st with a +20 236.
2019-20 | Junior Season
Awards: Selected as Penn State’s recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
Season: Recorded 74.00 season stroke average in five events (15 rounds)...Posted career-low tournament score (215, 1-under) and low round (70, 2-under) in first career tournament start at Rod Myers Invitational...Tied with fellow Nittany Lion Lou Olsakovsky for 13th as top Penn State finishers...Earned third letter...Season shortened and no championships held due to COVID-19 pandemic.
at Rod Myers Invitational (9/14-15): Improved 12 spots on final day with a career-low 70 (2-under) in final round…Tied for 13th with a career-low 215 (73-72-70, 1-under) for tournament… Tied teammate Lou Olsakovsky as highest Nittany Lion finishers…Tallied five birdies in second round and had tournament-high total 13 birdies for the weekend. at Old Town Club Collegiate (9/23-24): Posted an 8-over 218 to tie for 64th…Rebounded after tough first round with a 1-over 71 in second for Nittany Lions’ second-best score of the round behind Ryan Davis (69). at Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate (10/11-13): Battled back on final day with 1-under 71 to finish with a 10-over 226 and tie for 71st…Made six birdies in third round for Nittany Lions’ third-best round of weekend. at UNCG/Grandover Collegiate (10/27-28): Earned a tie for 31st with teammate Ryan Davis with a 230 (14-over)…Made an eagle on No. 18…Recorded 2-over 74 for Nittany Lions’ second-best score of the first round. at Florida Gators Invitational (2/15-16): Tied for 52nd with 11-over 221…Shot 2-over 72 with four birdies in second round for his low round of tournament.
2018-19 | Sophomore Season
Season: Competed in two spring tournaments as an individual and one single-round event…Had stroke average of 75.00 in seven rounds...Saw first action of season at Challenge at Champions event with even-par 71 for third-place finish…Matched then-career-best round with back-to-back 1-under rounds of 71 to open 2019 Colleton River Collegiate...Earned second letter.
Challenge at Champions (2/24): Finished third behind teammates Alec Bard and Charles Huntzinger who tied for first...Established then-career-low with even par 71 in single-round event. Colleton River Collegiate (3/4-5): Competed as an individual…Registered back-to-back rounds of 71 for two-under 142 on first day…Struggled in final round and finished in tie for 60th at 228 (12-over). Rutherford Intercollegiate (4/13-14): Competed as an individual…Went 1-under 34 on first nine in first round…Finished in tie for 52nd with 226 (13-over).
2017-18 | Freshman Season
Season: Played in Rutherford Intercollegiate as an individual competitor…Tied for 27th with 221 total (8-over)…Recorded then-career low-round score of 73 in final round...Received first letter.
Rutherford Intercollegiate (4/14-15): Made his collegiate debut as an individual competitor in the Rutherford Intercollegiate...Played three rounds with a 73.67 stroke average and low-round score of 73 in final round.
Before Penn State
Won five letters in golf for coach Pat Romano for Rye High School...Won Section One Individual titles in ?2015 and 2016...Captured 2015 Met Junior championship…Captured ninth place in 2016 North & South Junior Championship at Pinehurst...Placed 11th at the MET IKE Championship...Ranked No. 1 in New York and 155th overall in class of 2017 by Junior Golf Scoreboard...Earned academic honors.
Personal
Parents are Jim and Vicki McHugh...Has two older sisters, Jennifer and Kristin...Is pursuing a degree in economics.
Why Penn State?
“I chose Penn State for a number of reasons. I felt like it was the total package for me. Penn State combined great academics, great golf team, and the overall college feel that I was looking for. I also instantly felt a connection with the coaching staff and the players on the team. All these factors combined made it a pretty easy choice for me to decide on Penn State.”
James McHugh Season 2021-22
ClassGraduate Student
HometownRye, N.Y.