Golf wins first Ivy title in 88 years

After several rain delays, the Quakers finished first at the Ivy League Championships in Bethpage, N.Y. The Ivy League Golf Championship has been played through World Wars and the Great Depression, but it was not until 1998, and this past weekend, that Penn ended an 88-year drought and brought the victory home. The 54-hole championship, contested on Long Island's Bethpage State Park, was shortened to 36 holes due to weather. Fighting to finish the Friday round, the players faced two rain delays of over 1/2-hour, but managed to stay focused and bring home a two-stroke victory over Yale. Shooting a Friday team total of 303 and a Saturday total of 296, the Quakers were led by junior Kiki Kyrle. Finishing second overall in the field, and making the All-Ivy team along with senior Adam Bradshaw and sophomore Rob Goldfaden, Kyrle came to the 18th needing par to secure the individual title, but only a quadruple bogey to secure Penn's victory. Kyrle handled the pressure and made double bogey, giving Penn the victory. "It took me eight months at Penn to get my golf game back," Kyrle said. "It gives me an unbelievable thrill to make history at Penn. It took us 88 years to bring the trophy this far south." Kyrle, however, has faced such pressure in the past. A native of Vienna, Austria, Kyrle's accolades include the Austrian and Portuguese amateur titles, as well as once being a member of the European Continental Team. In addition to Kyrle, sophomore Rob Goldfaden was also named All-Ivy. Posting rounds of 78 and 72, Goldfaden was instrumental in the Quakers' victory, as his 72 was the lowest Penn score during Saturday's competition. "It was tough, it was a grinding day," Goldfaden said of his final round. Senior captain Adam Bradshaw was also named All-Ivy, posting rounds of 77 and 74. Bradshaw was joined by Kyle Moran and Todd Golditch, who complemented each other well by picking up the slack on the day when the other faltered. Moran posted scores of 82-75, while Golditch shot the reverse, 76-80. The victory was especially sweet for Bradshaw. Bradshaw, here before the tenure of Penn coach Francis Vaughn, was part of a Penn golf program that was in shambles. That program has gone from rags to riches in two short years. "Cheers to Francis," Kyrle said. "He built this program in two years." Kyrle is not the only Quaker to share in the enthusiasm for the young coach. "The golf program at Penn has really gone a long way, " Goldfaden said. "This is what I had planned on when I came here." It's certainly a story with a happy ending. Supported by a gallery including many fellow students and golf team family, the golf program showed how hard work can pay off very quickly.