DANIELSVILLE, Pa. --- Moravian College junior Dan Leppert fired a career-low and even par round of 72 and won medalist honors on the fourth tiebreaker to lead the Greyhounds to a first place team finish at the Annual Moravian Spring Invitational played at Woodstone Country Club Tuesday.
The Hounds placed four players at 74 or under for a three-over par team score of 291, finishing 14 strokes ahead of runner-up Muhlenberg College. Head Coach Emeritus John Makuvek, who has been with the golf program for 49 years, believes the 291 is the lowest team score in school history. The Hounds B team had a 349 and was seventh in the 10-team tournament.
"It feels nice to get a win at home finally with being here six years as head coach; it is our first win in our own tournament since I took over," commented Head Coach Kevin Edwards. "We've been close and finished tied but lost on match of cards. One of the seniors, Jim (Maru), promised that we would win as a team today, and they came through really big. 291 is a really good score for us. It is national level score and can compete with anyone out there. The guys can do it every time; it is just a matter of playing the same every round and not giving away shots.
"I'm really proud of the team, especially Dan to see him come through a win after struggling earlier in the year," Edwards continued. "To have the fourth different guy win a tournament, it really shows that we are deeper than I thought we were."
Leppert finished tied with sophomore Tyler Smith and Joe Myers from Cabrini College with even par rounds of 72. Using the United States Golf Association recommended tiebreaker, Smith had the highest back nine score and was eliminated from medalist contention while Leppert and Myers were tied with 37 on the back nine. Both players had 24 on the last six holes and 12 on the last three holes with Leppert finally finishing first on the final hole where he had an even par four and Myers shot a five.
Leppert is Moravian's fourth different medalist in the team's first four tournaments of the spring season, and the Greyhounds have won their last three outings as a team. Leppert turned in a pair of birdies and 14 pars during his round including a save out of the sand on the par 3 fifth hole.
"It is pretty special to be medalist, and it shows how deep the team is with a different guy winning each tournament," stated Leppert. "The round today, I played pretty well and didn't make any bad mistakes. The last few rounds I've had a few blowup holes that kind of affected me but today I just stayed focused on each individual shot. The tee shot on five was probably the worst one I hit all day but I was chipping and putting really well today. I was pretty happy with that sand shot. I left it about four or five feet short, and I was hitting puts like that all day so I was pretty confident standing over that one."
Smith had 10 pars and four birdies during his round as he finished tied for second among the 53 golfers. Senior Jim Maru had five birdies and eight pars in his round of 73 that tied him for fourth while sophomore Kevin Kunkle was sixth with a round of 74 that included 14 pars and one birdie. Senior Evan Dickinson finished off the top five for the Greyhounds with a round of 83 that tied him for 17th place.
Freshman Kody Long led the B team and was also tied for 17th with an 83 while sophomore Matt Miksiewicz had an 86 to finish in a tie for 25th. Senior James Lobb fired an 87 for the Greyhounds while junior Anthony Beltrami and freshman Joe Rochelle each had rounds of 93.
Moravian is scheduled to return to action on the first day of the Glenmaura National Collegiate Invitational at the Glenmaura National Golf Course on Sunday, April 10.
