O'Hern Forces, Wins Playoff Behind 18th-Hole Eagle as Scots Claim Team Championship at Earlham Fall Classic

After forcing a playoff with an eagle on the par-5, 535-yard No. 18, first-year Colin O'Hern birdied the playoff hole to claim medalist honors and help lead The College of Wooster men's golf team to a first-place team finish at the seven-team Earlham College Fall Classic on Sunday afternoon at Forest Hills Country Club in Richmond, Ind.

Sunday's win marks Wooster's first outright tournament victory since the spring of 2009, as all five Fighting Scots scored within the field's top 11, including four in the top 10. Wooster ended Saturday's round two shots back of the leader, Indiana University-Kokomo, at 321 before shooting a 314 on Sunday to win by seven strokes on the 6,427-yard par-71 course.

O'Hern, who earned tri-medalist honors in his collegiate debut back on Sept. 3, charged back after an 11-over 82 in Saturday's opening round with a two-over 73 on Sunday to force a playoff with IU-Kokomo's Taylor Fletcher.

Fletcher, whose scores oppositely mirrored O'Hern with an opener of 73 and second-round 82, led IU-Kokomo's runner-up team finish.

The victory marks Wooster's third top-three team finish through four scoring tournaments this season.

Of note, No. 18, the hole which O'Hern eagled to force the Sunday playoff, played as the hardest hole during Saturday's round with a +1.67 average relative to par.

For Wooster, junior Raghu Bir Choudhary continued his impressive start to the 2017-18 campaign with a fourth-place overall finish, his second top-four claim this season. Choudhary closed Saturday with a five-over 76, the second-best round of the day, before turning in an 81 on Sunday.

Sophomore Mac Bellovich tied for eighth overall at 162 after improving upon 84 on Saturday with a 78 on Sunday.

Meanwhile, sophomore Evan Ferrara continued his consistent play with another top-10 showing after last weekend's top-three finish at Deer Creek Country Club in Clayton, Ind.

Ferrara followed up an opening-round 80 with an 83 on Sunday while junior Andrew DeLaat shot an 83 on Saturday and 82 on Sunday to claim a tie for 11th overall.

The tournament also included a two collegiate "B" teams as part of a mix between NAIA and NCAA Div. III programs.

The Scots wrap up the 2017 fall season at the NCAC Championship Preview on Oct. 15-16 at Westbrook Country Club in Mansfield, Ohio.