Lewisburg, Pa. -- The Youngstown State men's golf team surged back from an 11-shot first-round deficit to claim its first tournament victory of the 2025-26 season at the three-day Bucknell Invitational, which concluded on Tuesday from Bucknell Golf Club.
The Penguins were in ninth place and 11 shots off the lead after posting a single-round team score of 292 (+12) in the three-day tournament's opening round on Sunday. YSU responded by firing a tournament and season-low team round of 277 (-3) in Monday's second session to catapult to the top of the team leaderboard.
The Penguins brought home the tournament crown with a 288 (+8) in the third and final round on Tuesday, holding off the field and finishing five strokes in front of runner-up Robert Morris with a three-round total of 857 (+17). YSU's 857 matches the eighth-lowest 54-hole performance in school history.
Youngstown State's second-round 277 is tied for the fourth-lowest 18-hole score in program history, and it is the lowest single-round mark for the Guins since recording a 276 at the Bucknell Invitational on Oct. 10, 2021.
Three Penguins finished in the top 15 on the individual leaderboard as Ryan Sam and Rocco Turner each tied for fifth and Jordan Kish tied for 15th. Sam and Turner each earned the highest individual finish of their career to power YSU to its second team triumph in as many fall campaigns.
Turner fired a career-low, two-under-par 68 in the final round on Tuesday to finish at three over par for the event and match his career best three-round score of 213 (72-73-68). The sophomore's final round 68 featured 12 pars and four birdies as he made par or better on each of his final 10 holes.
Sam also finished the tournament at three over par with a three-round total of 213 (74-69-70). The senior turned in a season-low, one-under-par 69 in Monday's second round that included 11 pars and four birdies. Sam also carded an even-par round of 70 on Tuesday that featured six birdies.
Kish collected his second top 15 performance of the fall season with a three-round score of 216 (73-69-74). The sophomore matched his season and career low round with a one-under-par 69 in the second session on Monday that included nine pars and five birdies as he shot a two-under-par 34 on the front nine.
Michael Porter finished tied for 34th with a three-round total of 219 (73-70-76). The redshirt junior's even-par 70 in the second round included 12 pars and three birdies. Nolan Shilling finished tied for 41st with a three-round 220 (75-69-76). The redshirt sophomore's second-round 69 featured 11 pars and four birdies as he posted a two-under-par 32 on the back nine.
Playing as an individual, Ayden Richmond concluded the tournament with a three-round score of 225 (72-79-74). The redshirt junior's opening-round 72 included 13 pars and three birdies.
In the team standings, Colgate finished one shot back of RMU in third, Holy Cross placed fourth and La Salle rounded out the top five in the sizeable 19-team field. Colgate's Brayden Dock earned medalist honors at one under par with a three-round total of 209 (72-72-65) while Leo Chu was the individual runner-up with a 210 (68-69-73).
Youngstown State will close the fall portion of its 2025-26 schedule on Oct. 20-21 with the Xavier Invitational at Maketewah Country Club in Cincinnati, Ohio.
For the latest news and updates throughout the fall season, follow @YSUMensGolf on X and Instagram.
