HELLERTOWN, Pa. --- Sophomore Jim Maru sank a bogey putt on the second playoff hole to earn medalist honors at the inaugural John Makuvek Cup hosted by Moravian College on the Weyhill Course at Saucon Valley Country Club Tuesday.
Maru and Casey Schermick from DeSales University each had rounds of 76 on the par 72 course, and both players had a par four on the first hole of the playoff, which was also the first hole of the course. On the second hole and battling the setting sun, Maru put his tee shot on the green of the par 3 hole while Schermick saw his tee shot bounce off of a tree and into a water hazard. After the drop, Schermick two-putted for a five while Maru three-putted for the win.
Schermick helped DeSales win the inaugural John Makuvek Cup with a team score of 317. Muhlenberg College was second with a 323 followed by the Greyhounds with a 325. The tournament, which will be hosted by DeSales next year, was named for Moravian's long-time golf coach who was at the course for the tournament.
As golf coach for 43 years, Makuvek compiled a 316-193 record. He is Moravian's all-time winningest golf coach, winning the 2006 Commonwealth Conference Championship. His linksters also won the 1997 and 1994 Middle Atlantic Conference titles, following in the footsteps of the 1974 MAC champion team. The 1993 squad, with a 16-0 dual match record, was the first-ever undefeated Moravian golf team; 1994's 15-0 squad was the second, and the program enjoyed a winning streak of 41 matches in a row. Makuvek's 1999 team posted the squad's third undefeated season in the 1990's with an 8-0 record.g
Maru had a pair of birdies sandwiched around a triple bogey during his round that had three other bogeys. The 76 is the second straight for Maru, tying his low round of the season.
Sophomore Evan Dickinson and freshman Dan Leppert each had rounds of 79 for the Greyhounds, and the duo was tied with three other golfers for third place of the 15 golfers. Dickinson had a pair of birdies in his round while Leppert carded one birdie.
Freshman Andrew Garino and sophomore James Lobb rounded out the Greyhounds' line-up with rounds of 91 and 92 on the afternoon.
Moravian is scheduled to return to action on Monday, October 14 in the Lebanon Valley College Invitational beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the Lebanon Country Club.
