May 15, 2008
Columbus, Ohio, May 15, 2008 - The Nittany Lion golf team fired an opening round 20-over par 304 to stand tied for 19th after the first round at the NCAA Central Regional in Columbus, Ohio. Penn State stood just five strokes out of 10th place in the 27-team field. The top 10 teams in each regional advance to the NCAA Championships.
Senior Robert Rohanna (Waynesburg, Pa.) and sophomore Kevin Foley (Somerville, N.J) led the way for the Nittany Lions on the 7,455-yard, par-71 Ohio State Scarlet Course. They both fired rounds of 4-over par 75 to stand tied for 38th. Rohanna played a consistent round posting 14 pars and four bogeys, while Foley birdied the final two holes on the day.
Wake Forest's Brendan Gielow shot a 2-under par 69 to lead the individual race and pace the team leading Demon Deacons who fired an opening round of 6-over par 290.
Sophomore T.J. Howe (Osceola, Pa.) stood tied for 55th after an opening round of 5-over par 76. Howe posted two birdies in his final six holes. Senior Harvin Groft (State College, Pa.) was tied for 87th after firing 7-over par 78 and posting birdie on two of his final four holes. Junior Chad Bricker, entering Penn State's scoring line-up for the first time this fall, struggled in his opening round posting a 13-over par total of 84 to stand tied for 136th. He posted three double-bogeys in his first five holes, but birdied his sixth and settled down to play more solidly after that.
Competition continues Friday and Saturday in Columbus.