Posted: 10/21/2011
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men’s and women’s golf teams will wrap-up their fall schedules this weekend as they co-host the Lehigh Invitational at Saucon Valley Country Club. The Mountain Hawks will be joined by seven men’s teams and six women’s teams for the two-day, 36-hole event, which will take place on Saucon Valley’s Grace Course.
Saucon Valley Country Club, founded in 1920, has grown from 18 holes and a clubhouse to become one of the largest private clubs in North America. It encompasses 800 acres and consists of four courses, including the Weyhill Course, Old Course, Grace Course and Short Course. The Grace Course opened with nine holes in the fall of 1953 with the second nine opened for play in 1958. Named for Eugene Gifford Grace (Class of 1899), longtime president and chairman of Bethlehem Steel, the Grace Course measures 7,051 yards from the championship tees and features greens nearly twice the size of those on the Old Course but without the severe contours.
This weekend’s tournament marks the fourth and final event for the Lehigh men this fall. The Mountain Hawks finished 11th at the Barnabas Health Intercollegiate hosted by Seton Hall last weekend. Freshman Carlos Kim was the Mountain Hawks’ top performer, trying for 26th after shooting 152. Lehigh also owns a sixth place finish at the Bucknell Invitational and a 15th place finish at the Hartford Invitational. All seven Mountain Hawks on the roster will be in action this weekend, five in the main lineup and the two others as individuals.
On the men’s side Lehigh will be joined by Bucknell, Colgate, Fordham, Lafayette, Rutgers, Seton Hall and Siena.
The Mountain Hawk women have been off since competing at the Nittany Lion Invitational back on October 1. Lehigh has also competed at invitational tournaments hosted by Bucknell, Princeton and Yale, with its top finish being a fourth-place finish at the Bucknell Invitational. Junior Ginette Schapira has been Lehigh’s top performer at the Bucknell and Penn State Invitationals, while junior Chelsea Michalek led the Mountain Hawks at Yale. Michalek and sophomore Crystal Lee tied for Lehigh’s top finish at Princeton.
Six women’s teams: Albany, Brown, FDU, Rutgers, Seton Hall and Siena, will join two Lehigh teams for the event.
This weekend, Lehigh’s nine women will be split into a team of five and a team of four. Michalek, Lee, and Schapira will play with freshmen Melanie Dickens and Kelly Moylan on one squad, while the second squad will consist of junior Natalie Lansing, sophomores Elle Sander and Hannah Kim and freshman Alyssa Scheyd
Action at the Lehigh Invitational begins Saturday at 9 a.m. with the first 18 holes from the Grace Course at Saucon Valley Country Club. Sunday’s final round features a shotgun start with play also beginning at 9 a.m.