Team Sharber posts 10.5-point day, extends lead after fifth round of Polar Bear Cup Challenge

October 5, 2020

By Tim Glon

ADA — Team Sharber posted a 10.5-point day to extend its lead after the fifth round in the Polar Bear Cup Challenge on Saturday at Colonial Golfers Club.

Sharber topped Team Ludwig 5.5-3.5 in the team competition, then added five skill points to extend its leading point total to 43.5. Team Ludwig remained second with 36 points, Team Lamb is third with 34 points and Team Hairston is fourth with 31.5 points.

Team Hairston defeated Team Lamb 5-4 on Saturday.

Hairston grabbed four points in the skills competition, Lamb added three points and Ludwig did not score in the skills competition to tighten the race for second place.

The Ohio Northern men's and women's golf teams divided themselves up into four 10-player teams for the Polar Bear Cup Challenge, a Ryder Cup-style tournament that will be contested over eight rounds.

Teams earn points by winning head-to-head, Ryder Cup-style competitions and by succeeding in individual skills challenges each week.

Each weekend's competition featured three alternate shot competitions between each team: one men's, one women's and one mixed with one point awarded to the front 9, back 9 and total 18-hole winners.

Players not involved in the alternate shot competition had chances to earn team points by making a 5-foot putt, lagging to within 3 feet of the cup on a 40-foot putt, chipping from 15 yards out to within 2 feet of the cup and from getting within 20 feet on a 50-yard approach shot.

Individually, Lamb's sophomore Austin White (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township) remained undefeated with a perfect 5-0 record after combining with freshman teammate Meghan Utterdyke (Franklin/Fenwick) for a 3-0 victory.

Freshman Grace Honigford (Mason/Lakota East) of Team Sharber is also undefeated at 4-0-1 after tying her match this weekend.

Teams are named in honor of past coaches that have made a positive impact on the Ohio Northern golf programs.

Jacque Sharber was one of the first women's golf coaches and transitioned the team into a full-fledged varsity program.

Stacey Hairston led the Polar Bear women's team to the Ohio Athletic Conference title and the NCAA III Tournament in 2007 and is the women's program's all-time winningest coach with a 436-165-3 record in seven seasons.

Helen Ludwig is considered one of the developers and guardians of women's athletics at Ohio Northern University. She was critical in the formation of women's athletic teams before and during the implementation of Title IX. From 1963-84, she served as an assistant athletic director, the academic director of the Department of Physical Education and a head or assistant coach for nearly all of ONU's female athletic teams before she retired from ONU.

Clyde Lamb was the first men's golf coach at Ohio Northern in 1937 and led the Polar Bears to five consecutive Mid-Ohio League championships from 1950-54. He coached football, baseball, golf and tennis and served as athletics director at ONU from 1932-1969.

Check back to ONUSports.com each Monday for more updates.

Standings After Round 5

   Team Sharber - 43.5 Pts.
   Team Ludwig - 36 Pts.
   Team Lamb - 34 Pts.
   Team Hairston - 31.5 Pts.

Round 4 Results - Scramble - Better Ball - Alternate Shot

Sharber def. Ludwig, 5.5-3.5

   Andrew Slusher / Jared Hernandez (Sharber) def. Jacob Brooks / Andrew Lyon (Ludwig), 3-0
   Ellie Miller / Ethan Hartman (Ludwig) def. Mady Allen / Matt Russo (Sharber), 2-1
   Olivia Galigher / Grace Honigford (Sharber) tied Annika Neumann / Dylan Morris (Ludwig), 1.5-1.5

Lamb def. Hairston, 5-4

   Austin White / Meghan Utterdyke (Lamb) def. Sam Straker / Bella Orofino (Hairston), 3-0
   Josh Steyer / Jeff Baker (Hairston) def. Bradon Wooldridge / Luke Gilliland (Lamb), 2.5-.5
   Lydia Cranmer / Erika Brooks (Lamb) tied Rylie Smith / Allison Logue (Hairston), 1.5-1.5

Round 5 Skills Competition Results

   Team Sharber - 5 Pts.
   Team Hairston - 4 Pts.
   Team Lamb - 3 Pts.
   Team Ludwig - 0 Pts.