June 25, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA., June 25, 2008 - Nittany Lion sophomore Kevin Foley (Somerville, N.J.) shot rounds of 65-72-70 for a 6-under par total of 207 to win the 53rd Ike Championship presented by Canon USA at Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell, N.J.
Foley, who earned honorable-mention All-America and All-Mid Atlantic Region honors this year for the Nittany Lion golf team, held off Morgan Hoffman in a two-man dual. Foley posted the fourth-best score in Ike Championship history to claim his first Metropolitan Golf Association (MGA) championship after several near misses including a tie for third in last year's Ike and a runner-up finish at the 2006 Met Amateur.
"Kevin's winning the Ike does not suprise me," said Penn State coach Greg Nye. "He has been playing very well of late. He played well in the NCAA Finals, the Sunnehanna, Monroe, and Northeast Amateur events which are all national caliber events."
Trailing Hoffman by one stroke after 36 holes and paired with the future Oklahoma State Cowboy, Foley turned the moment his way hitting a seven iron to within 10 feet on the par-three 14th and sinking the birdie putt to take a one-stroke lead. Foley opened a two-stroke lead on the 15th hole after Hoffman bogeyed and held on for the victory in windy conditions on the 7,006-yard course.
"The course definitely played tougher today," Foley said. "When Morgan went up by one shot (after the second round), I just tried to stay focused and keep battling. It feels great to win this. It's definitely one of the most prestigious events for amateurs, and I've had some close calls in the past, so this is definitely a little bit of redemption for those."
Foley also finished tied for fourth earlier in summer competition at the Monroe Invitational, one of the nation's top amateur events, after firing 2-over par (73-69-72-68=282).
Other Nittany Lions have also faired well on the summer links. Sophomore T.J. Howe (Osceola, Pa.) shot rounds of 77-70-72 to win the Collegiate Players Tour event at Iron Valley Country Club in Lebanon, Pa.
Two-time All-Big Ten selection Robert Rohanna (Waynesburg, Pa.) was in contention after an opening round 63 at the 47th Northeast Amateur but followed with rounds of 70-74-73 to finish 4-over par and tied for 16th at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford, R.I.
Freshman Brendan Borst (Pittsburgh, Pa.) qualified for the U.S. Amateur Publick Links Championship shooting rounds of 68-70 in qualifying. He will join Rohanna in competing in the event in Aurora, Co., July 14-19.
Incoming Nittany Lion freshman Nick Archambault fired rounds of 67-70-68 to post a score of 5-under and finish fourth at the Vermont Open. He was the low amateur by 10 strokes in the event. He also lost in the semifinals of the Quebec Amateur Match Play. He won his first match 4&3, his second math 1-up, and his third match 2-up before falling on the 19th hole of play in the semifinal.