Columbus State Edges Owens In OCCAC Ryder Cup Championship

Dru Hein attempts a shot while head coach Josh Williams looks on. Photo by Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Dru Hein attempts a shot while head coach Josh Williams looks on. Photo by Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Posted: May 04, 2015

By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Perrysburg, Ohio---The No. 8 Owens Community College men's golf team was edged by one stroke today as Columbus State Community College captured the third annual Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) Ryder Cup championship at Belmont Country Club.

After the best ball, alternate shot and scramble contests, Owens finished with a 139, just one stroke more than Columbus State. Cincinnati State Technical and Community College finished third with a 142, while Lakeland Community College shot a 159.

For Owens, Harrison Long (Wilnecote/Tamworth, U.K.) and Philippe Weppernig (Luzern, Switzerland) led the team in all three contests. In best ball, they shot a 23, just ahead of Dominic DiGiacomo (Ocean City/Ocean City, N.J.) and Dru Hein's (Jasper/Jasper, Ind.) 24. Wyatt Spalding (Summerfield/Petersburg, Mich.) and Christian Bienaime (Lake Brantley/Altamonte Springs, Fla.) came in at 27 in best ball.

In alternate shot, Long/Weppernig shot a 23, while DiGiacomo/Hein shot a 25 and Spalding/Bienaime shot a 26. 

In the scramble competition, all three duos for Owens shot a 22. 

Columbus State's Clay Bryan and Justin Dearth captured the best ball and scramble titles with a 21 in each category. In alternate shot, Weppernig/Long tied the Cincinnati State duos of Taylor Suggs/Alex Ebel and John McQueen/Jeff Wray, although Weppernig/Long were eliminated due to a scorecard playoff, and Cincinnati State decided to leave their two teams in a tie.

In team play, Columbus State's 44 was good for the best ball championship. Cincinnati State's 46 won the alternate shot competition, and the 44 by Owens was best in scramble play. 

Notes

Owens will now prepare for the Region XII tournament May 11-12. The team will be looking for its third straight Region XII championship, which would be the first time an Owens team captured three straight region titles since women's volleyball from 1998-2000. Prior to that, men's basketball captured three straight region titles from 1992-94. Next year's women's soccer team will also be going for three straight.