Chance Pipitone had just shot a 73 to open his weekend at the Ivy League championships, and he was already in a two-stroke hole for day two.
The Penn freshman was assessed a two-stroke penalty - it was appealed but not overturned - for showing up late to his tee time. But that didn't stop him from firing another 73 that day and a 75 the next, placing him second in the field and helping the Quakers take home the Ivy League championship.
Penn won the Ivy trophy for the second time Sunday, beating second-place Brown by 10 shots at Galloway National Golf Club in New Jersey. Penn won its first Ivy championship back in 1998.
"I wasn't nervous," said Pipitone. "I've had those nights where I stayed up till five in the morning shaking, but that didn't happen this time. I was really excited to go out and play this one. I knew it would be close and I would have a chance to shine."
"It's a great milestone accomplished for our program," said coach Rob Powelson. "I see a shift in terms of new leadership and teams coming on board and I think we are one of those programs."
The Quakers finished with a total of 904 (300-303-301). Brown followed with a 914, followed by Columbia, Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Dartmouth and Cornell.
The men were five shots behind first-place Columbia going into the final round, but after junior Nick Ryder posted his 76 followed by sophomore Michael Blodgett's 74, they knew they had a shot at the title.
"I am very proud of Ryder," said Powelson. "Nick struggled on day one, and when he put up that 76 it really set the tone. After he posted, I could tell on everyone's faces that they knew this was their tournament to win."
Especially Pipitone. In his first Ivy Championships, the freshman came through for his team, finishing tied for second place with a 221 (73-73-75), just one shot behind Chris Condello of Columbia (71-75-74).
Pipitone stepped onto the final hole one shot down when his playing partner, Condello, put his second shot in the green-side bunker. Pipitone then two-putted for what he thought would be the win, but Condello marvelously got up and down to hold on.
Pipitone would have had the individual title had his penalty not been applied.
"I expressed my strong dissatisfaction with the way that situation was handled," said Powelson. "I was very angered and taken back by the whole process."
But after giving themselves a big boost, the Quakers' thoughts have quickly moved on to bigger and better things.
"We have a really bright future," said Pipitone. "This team is not just thinking Ivies anymore, like in the past. Everyone is thinking NCAA's, and Ivies is now just a step."
The women's side
The women's side, however, did not fare well, coming in fifth out of the seven Ivy League teams. They shot a combined 1009 (328-331-350), 35 shots behind fourth-place Harvard and 76 shots behind first-place Columbia.
"We definitely struggled, there is no doubt," said coach Francis Vaughn. "We can't blame the weather, and everyone played the same golf course. We just didn't play well."
The women's team was led once again by freshman Lisette Vitter, who ended the tournament tied for 13th place overall.
