BATAVIA, OH – The University of Rochester golf team fell just short in its run to a University Athletic Association title, falling by a 3-2 score in the final match against 2nd-ranked Emory University at the 2024 UAA Match Play Championship at Elks Run Golf Course.
 
After a big upset win on Monday over 3rd-ranked Carnegie Mellon, the Yellowjackets tried to pull off its second straight victory over a highly-ranked opponent. Top-seeded Emory ended up needing some late hole heroics to fend off Rochester to earn the victory and its third UAA crown in the last four seasons.
 
Rochester's appearance in the title match was its first since the first match play tournament back in 2016.
 
On Tuesday, the Yellowjacket points were scored by senior Gary Pan and first-year Eddie Ren, who both scored 1-up wins.
 
First-year Alvin Su dropped a 2-down decision to Michael Burry, Galen Fowles lost 1-down to Zach Pelzar and Shibo Wang was defeated by Brian Hanson 4&3 (down 4 with 3 holes left).
 
For their efforts over the two-day event, both Pan and Ren were named to the 6-player All-Tournament Team. Both went 2-0, with Pan winning in extra holes on day one, while Ren secured the match-clinching point against CMU.
 
During day two, Su led off in match one for Rochester. The UR first-year quickly went 2-up after the opening four holes, only to see Burry, a 2-time All-American, answer back with a pair of hole wins on #5 and #7 to pull even. The duo halved the next seven holes until Su went 1-up after winning hole 15.
 
Burry had a flurry to finish though, winning three straight holes on 16, 17 and 18 to earn the leadoff point by a 2-up score.
 
In Pan's match in the number two slot, his opponent, Tony Li, another 2-time All-American, won the opening hole. Pan then rattled off five wins in the next ten holes to surge in front 4-up through 11. A late run by Li wasn't enough to complete the comeback, as Pan held on for the 1-up victory.
 
Fowles and Pelzar had a back-and-forth battle in match three, with the UR first-year winning back-to-back holes on #3 and #4 to grab an early 1-up lead. Pelzar won three of the next four holes to go 2-up.
 
After Fowles won hole 11, Pelzar regained his two-hole lead with a point on #14. Fowles responded right away with a win on the 15th hole, but the two players halved the final three holes, allowing Pelzar to hold on for the 1-up win.
 
Ren's match against Brady Lagendyk was one of runs throughout the round. The UR rookie won the opening hole, but saw his opponent take holes 3, 4 and 6 to go 2-up. Ren surged back in front by winning four of the next five holes, sitting 2-up through 11 in the round.
 
Emory's Lagendyk won on holes 12 and 14, with Ren winning 13 to keep the deficit one heading into the final stretch of holes. An Emory win on 16 put the match at all-square, but Ren capped his strong effort in his first college event by winning the last hole for the 1-up victory.
 
In the anchor match, Hanson, the third 2-time All-American in the Eagle lineup, jumped in front with a win on hole 2. Wang pulled back even after hole 3, but Hanson secured back-to-back hole wins on 5 and 6 to go 2-up.
 
Wang trimmed the lead back down to one on hole seven, but Hanson rattled off two more wins to finish the front nine, sitting 3-up. After another hole victory on 13 pushed the lead to 4-up with five holes left. Two halved holes later, Hanson had clinched the match 4&3.

In the individual event for the group of golfers not competing in the match play, Rochester first-year Luke Evans claimed the title, shooting rounds of 76 and 70 over the two day competition.
 
Rochester's next event is in two weeks at the NCAA Preview in the Rochester area. That event will take place on September 22-23 on the two courses (Midvale CC and Cobblestone Creek CC) that will host the NCAA Division III Tournament next spring.