DUBLIN, IRELAND – The Iona College golf program reclaimed the Challenge Cup in the 18
th annual Iona-UCD Challenge. The yearly three-day match-play tournament took the student-athletes across Dublin, Ireland and three historic golf courses in route to the Maroon & Gold's reclaiming of the trophy. Iona won the Challenger Cup 12-5, using resounding results on the second and third days to claim the decisive winning decision.
The Gaels led by a slim margin after day one of the Iona-UCD Challenge. Opening up at Portmarnock Golf Course, the Maroon & Gold had wins by junior
Justin Burkhamer and sophomore
Colin Sutyla (4&3), and senior
Oisin Devereux with sophomore
Jake Hommel (4&2). Senior
Matt Mirocco halved for half-a-point and junior
Kritsarin Oukosavanna and rookie Will Fleck lost (4&3). The Gaels 2.5-1.5 edge acted as a catapult to a supremely strong second day.
Come day two at Baltray County Louth Golf Club, Iona took command with a 4-0 sweep in four-ball. The pairs of Devereux-Hommel and Mirocco-Oukosavanna both won 1up. Burkhamer & Sutyla, along with Fleck's team, each won 3&2. Iona's 6.5-1.5 lead meant the Gaels needed just two points in Thursday's single matches to claim the Challenger Cup.
The final day of the Iona-UCD Challenge was played at the Royal Dublin Golf Course. The Gaels outscored UCD on Thursday, 5.5-4.5, to secure the 12-5 final.
This marks the second straight time the Maroon & Gold have won the Challenge Cup in Ireland after the Maroon & Gold hadn't won overseas since 2017.
Stay tuned to more information recapping the 18
th annual Iona-UCD Challenge on ICGaels.com and on Iona College golf social media.
Iona's next event is the 2019 Matthew Auto Collegiate Invitational in Apalachin, NY at Links at Hiawatha Landing. It begins on Sunday, Oct. 6 and runs through Monday. It begins the stretch where the Maroon & Gold compete every weekend. They'll wrap up the fall schedule later in October at the Lehigh Invitational and Metropolitan Intercollegiate.
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