The Canisius College golf team shot a team score of 599, highlighted by a second-round team tally of 297, to claim the 2014 Little Three Golf Championship, played Thursday at Niagara Falls Country Club. The win marks the Golden Griffins’ 11th Little Three Championship since the event began in 1952, and it also stands as the program’s fourth team title in the last five years.
The Little Three Championship individual medalist honor was awarded to Canisius junior Hunter Sagar, who was able to defeat teammate Andrew Romano on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff after each player shot a combined score 146 through 36 holes. After posting pars on three-straight playoff holes, Sagar was able to record a birdie on the par-3 fourth after he drained a 12-foot putt to secure the victory. With the win, Sagar has earned an automatic berth into the 2015 Porter Cup, which will be played next July at Niagara Falls Country Club.
“It was exciting for both Hunter and Andrew to end the day in a playoff for the chance to get an automatic bid into the Porter Cup,” Canisius head coach Todd Hummel said. “An invite to the Porter Cup means a lot to these guys and we saw some really good golf. They played 40 holes today, which is a lot, but they stayed focused and Hunter was able to win it with a great birdie putt.”
Canisius’ team score of 599 was five strokes better than St. Bonaventure and 13 strokes ahead of Niagara. The Bonnies, who won the 2013 Little Three crown, held a team lead after the morning round with a team score of 301, one shot ahead of the Blue and Gold at 302. After the first 18 holes, Sagar led the field after he carded a score of 71, which was one-over par. In the afternoon, Romano shot an even-par 70, his best collegiate round, while Sagar posted a 75 on the final 18 holes, setting up the playoff.
“I was really pleased with the way our whole team played today, and our guys battled to the very end,” Hummel said. “It was a long day with 36 holes, but the guys stayed focused and everyone did their part to help us win as a team.”
Canisius sophomore Cory Cullen shot a 78-75 for a two-round score of 153, which ranked eighth in the field, while Canisius juniors Zachary Soccio-Marandola and Brendan Polsin finished the event tied for 11th after each player finished with a 36-hole score of 158.
Canisius will close out the 2014 fall schedule Oct. 5-6 when the team takes part in the Binghamton Fall Classic at the Links at Hiawatha in Apalachin, N.Y.
