HAMILTON, N.Y. - The Lafayette Men's Golf team capped an outstanding season with a second place finish in the 2019 Patriot League Men's Golf Championships at the par-72 Seven Oaks Golf Club in Hamilton, N.Y. The event was highlighted by junior Will Halamandaris securing the individual title in a five-hole playoff to become the program's first PL tournament medalist since 2010.

The Leopards improved each round, scoring 300 under adverse conditions on Saturday followed by 289 and 284 in successive rounds on Sunday. The three-round total of 873 (+9) was eight shots behind champion Army West Point and one shot clear of tournament host Colgate.

" As a team we shot four-under in the last round," said Hutnick. "It took a team to go out and shoot better than that to beat us. It certainly wasn't a result of us not playing well. Certainly Army played really well - they tore it up today."

Halamandaris (70-71-73) sat atop the individual leaderboard for much of the final day, but a bogey on the 54th and final hole put him in a three-player playoff at minus-2 with Army's Nick Turner and Colgate's Ryan Skae. Turner was eliminated on the first playoff hole, but Halamandaris and Skae matched each other over the first four holes before the Maryland native recorded a par to Skae's bogey on the par-4 first hole to win it.

"I didn't really realize where I stood," said Halamandaris of his rare bogey on the par-3 ninth hole that forced the playoff. "After I missed the putt I found out that would have won it. I just said to myself, it happens and I am playing good golf right now and I know I can beat these guys."

As Patriot League champion, Halamandaris was also recognized as the Patriot League Player of the Year and a member of the All-Patriot League team. Sophomore Cole Berger finished in sixth place at +2 and was named to the All-Patriot League second team.

Freshman Kazuki Osawa finished just outside of the top 10 at T-13 and delivered two rounds of 1-under 71 on Sunday. Sophomore Brendan Cronin also had a good Sunday with a pair of 73s and finished in a T-24. Ryan Tall was one shot back at T-30 bouncing back with the Leopards best score in the third round with a 2-under 70. Drew Steiner was one spot in back of Tall at T-33 following an even-par 72 over the final 18 holes.

"I am really proud of the team this year," said Halamandaris. "Especially when you look at how far we've come. My freshman year, to be honest, we didn't really have much of a chance at Patriot Leagues. For this team to come together the way it did - we won at Colgate in the fall, we won at Navy last week and we finished second in our own tournament and here this week. We were grinding all year and it really showed. I am really looking forward to next year."

With a tournament lineup that featured one junior, two sophomores and three freshman, it is no wonder Halamandaris is excited for the future. First he has one more piece of business to take care of this season as he awaits his placement in one of the six NCAA golf regional tournaments that will take place May 13-15.

He will learn which of the 54-hole regional events he will participate in when the fields are announced on Wednesday, May 1 at 9 p.m. on the Golf Channel.