2022 Rutherford Intercollegiate Final Results
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The Penn State men's golf team won the Rutherford Intercollegiate team title for the seventh-straight year thanks to a strong final round Sunday afternoon at Penn State's Blue Course. Penn State sophomore James Allen earned the individual title after defeating teammate Patrick Sheehan in a tiebreak, as the two Nittany Lions finished first and second atop the individual leaderboard.
The Nittany Lions collected their 29th Rutherford Intercollegiate team title in the 45-year history of the event. Allen becomes the 21st Nittany Lion to medal atop of the leaderboard in Rutherford history, and the first since Cole Miller in 2018.
Allen and Sheehan both finished atop the individual leaderboard at 3-under, 210, but Allen won the playoff tiebreak to win the individual championship. Allen earns his first-career collegiate tournament victory. A total of three Nittany Lions finished in the top 10, with five in the top 15.
The Nittany Lions entered Sunday in second place and four strokes back of then first-place No. 33 Michigan State. Penn State came out of the gates strong, gaining six strokes on the Spartans through the first six holes to surge into first place before making the turn. The Nittany Lions never allowed the Spartans to regain the lead the rest of the way, despite Michigan State pulling within a stroke as the final group reached the final hole. Sheehan parred the final hole, while Michigan State's golfer bogeyed, to give Penn State the two-stroke win over the Spartans.
Penn State shot a field-best 7-over, 291, in Sunday's chilly round to finish the 54-hole tournament at 12-over, 864. No. 33 Michigan State was second at 14-over, 866, while St. Mary's (Calif.) finished third at 17-over, 869.
Freshman Jake Griffin secured the first top-10 finish of his collegiate career, finishing at 3-over, 216, to tie for eighth place. Junior Jimmy Meyers shot a 2-over, 73, in Sunday's final round to finish tied for 11th with a tournament score of 4-over, 217.
Graduate student Lou Olsakovsky carded a 2-over, 73, Sunday to finish at 9-over, 222, and tied for 26th. Junior Ben Smith also finished tied for 26th at 9-over, 222, after firing a 3-over, 74, in the final round.
Including Allen, Penn State's five individuals all finished within the top 50 of the 78-player filed. Graduate student James McHugh tallied a 1-over, 72, Sunday to finish at 6-over, 219, and in a tie for 15th place. Senior Hunter Bruce shot a 2-over, 73, Sunday to finish tied for 23rd at 8-over, 221. Sophomore Jud Langille carded a 1-over, 72, in the final round to finish at 9-over, 222, and tied for 26th place. Freshman Morgan Lofland finished at 12-over, 225, and tied for 46th.
The Nittany Lions return to action next weekend in their final tournament before Big Ten Championships when Penn State heads to Ohio State's Kepler Intercollegiate on Saturday and Sunday.
