LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL – Iona College golf freshman Kevin Kramarski needed a sudden-death play-off hole to break a 54-hole tie with Saint Peter’s Nicholas Dilio to capture the 2015 MAAC Championship and the 30th McLeod Memorial Award at Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course. Kramarski shot a third-round low three-under 69 to help lead the Gaels to a second place finish.
As a team, Iona maintained its second place standing and gained eight strokes on the team champion Peacocks but were unable to overcome the 17 stroke deficit heading into the final day. The Gaels topped third place Fairfield by 10 and fourth place Monmouth by 13. Rider and Siena tied for fifth with Manhattan placing seventh and Canisius and Niagara matching scores in eighth place.
Kramarski used three birdies and 15 pars in the final round to pull even with Dilio for the lead after 54 holes. In the playoff hole, both golfers hit into the same bunker on the left side of the fairway. After chipping out to virtually the same spot again, it was the third stroke on the 18th hole that proved to be the difference. Kramaski hit into the middle of the putting surface and Dilio over shot the green to account for the extra shot.
Kramaski’s three round score was an even par 216. Senior Evan DeLuca tied for fifth overall at +5 (221), earning All-MAAC honors. Senior Tom McHugh was 11th (+11, 227) while graduate student Taylor Bellemare finished 23rd (+17) and sophomore Brian Fitzpatrick was 25th (+18).
Kramarski becomes Iona’s first McLeod Award winner since Doug Hoppe in 2010. Kyle Underwood (2006), Lance McGray (2002), Sean Staley (1994) have also earned the honor for the Gaels. The McLeod Award is named after Charles “Scott” McLeod, a 1980 graduate of Iona College, who passed away in 1985 after a life-long fight with kidney-related ailments. McLeod was also a lifetime member of the Pelham Country Club, where the MAAC Tournament was held in the middle 1980’s, and was a sponsor of the tournament the first year it was held at Pelham. For his season-long efforts, Kramarski was also named the MAAC Rookie of the Year.
The Gaels improved on their fifth place performance at the MAAC Championship in 2014.
Team Standings
Pos Team To Par R1 R2 R3 Total
1.) Saint Peter’s +21 288 293 304 885
2.) Iona College +30 296 302 296 894
3.) Fairfield +40 297 304 303 904
4.) Monmouth +43 295 307 305 907
5.) Rider +54 307 303 308 918
Siena +54 303 303 312 918
7.) Manhattan +63 313 297 317 927
8.) Canisius +87 324 313 314 951
Niagara +87 316 319 316 951
Iona Performers
Pos Team To Par R1 R2 R3 Total
2nd Iona College 296 302 296 894
T-1st Kevin Kramarski E 74 73 69 216
T-5th Evan Deluca +5 70 77 74 221
T-11th Thomas McHugh +11 76 76 75 227
T-23rd Taylor Bellemare +17 76 76 81 233
T-25th Brian Fitzpatrick +18 76 80 78 234
Top 10 Performers
Pos Team Team To Par R1 R2 R3 Total
1.) Kevin Kramarski Iona College E 74 73 69 216
Nicholas Dilio Saint Peter’s E 74 68 74 216
3.) Brian Grubbs Saint Peter’s +3 68 73 78 219
4.) Steve Burak Fairfield +4 70 73 77 220
5.) Evan Deluca Iona College +5 70 77 74 221
Scott Kim Siena +5 75 70 76 221
7.) Eric Edmunds Saint Peter’s +8 73 77 74 224
8.) Daniel Weimer Niagara +10 77 76 73 226
Colin Buckley Monmouh +10 73 76 77 226
Michael Shine Siena +10 72 75 79 226