He has come through in the clutch on numerous occasions throughout his career. This time, on the biggest platform he has seen yet, Carter Hassenplug, ’25, delivered a massive birdie on the 18th hole during the final round of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championship to secure himself the individual win and the Allegheny men’s golf team a conference title.
“I knew what the situation was,” Hassenplug said. “The shot went in, and all the emotions from the season were let out. Hugging the guys, tossing the club, taking the ball out of the hole, it was all surreal. We have been so close to winning so many times, and to finally get the job done was a really good feeling. The shot and scenes around it will be a great memory for the rest of my life.”
Allegheny had a one-stroke lead on the final hole. A par would have been enough, but the back-to-back PAC Player of the Year went out in style.
The event, taking place last Friday and Saturday, was played in Boardman, Ohio, at Mill Creek South.
After the results from the first two rounds of the tournament, held in the fall semester, Allegheny entered the weekend down one stroke.
Their deficit grew when the defending champions, the Washington and Jefferson Presidents, outpaced the Gators by five shots in the first round of the Spring portion.
Allegheny showed fight. The comeback began on day four, the final day of the tournament.
The team shot an impressive 293 on their march to first place, and three Gators finished within the top 15.
It was the first title for the men’s team since 2006.
“I think the guys realized that they would be in the mix for a conference championship this season,” said head coach Jeff Groff. “The college golf season is a long journey from August until late April, and this team has maintained a level of focus and determination throughout the ups and downs.”
With the win, Allegheny earned a ticket to Las Vegas to compete in the NCAA Division III Championships.
Taking place from May 14-17, the Gators have two and a half weeks to get ready for the nation’s best.
“All of us are really excited to be going to Vegas,” Hassenplug said. “We need to take it one round at a time. Making the cut is the first goal, and then once we do that, the obvious goal would be to win.”
While winning is important to the team, they also want to enjoy the opportunity.
“Overall, we all want to soak in the experience as much as possible and make memories revolving around the game of golf that will last a lifetime,” Hassenplug said.
