XYHTKKBRNEMECXG.20150428141451.jpg

Iona’s Kramarski Captures MAAC Championship; Gaels Finish Second

Written By: Talk of the Sound News

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