Klein Caps Harvard Career

For four years, Andrew Klein has given all he’s got to Harvard golf. This past weekend, the senior added one last great memory to take away with him.

In the final collegiate competition of his career, Klein won the individual competition of the Patriot League Challenge, posting a two-day combined score of 147—the lowest individual score of any golfer in the field.

Klein has been a steady contributor for the Crimson throughout his four years.

This year, he has taken the reins as Harvard’s No. 1 golfer and has consistently recorded top-10 individual finishes.

But Klein finally got what had evaded him all during the spring season, capturing an individual title.

“It was great,” said sophomore D. J. Hynes. “He’s been a leader for four years and he couldn’t have finished up any better.”

While the end result was perfect for Klein, Saturday’s first round was a trial against the elements.

The conditions at Greater Bay Golf Course in Somers Point, N.J. were anything but ideal. The course—which in the past has hosted Ladies Professional Golf Association events—set up even tougher than normal.

The wind was blowing hard off the water and the greens had been aerated, leaving them rough and sandy.

Klein battled throughout the day without his best game, desperately trying to stay close to par.

Heading to the 18th, Klein was struggling and hoping just to make par.

But the senior rattled in a 50-foot birdie putt that left him with a very respectable opening round of 75.

“The 18th hole [on Saturday] was definitely a turning point for me,” Klein said. “That really helped me heading into Sunday.”

Klein carried the momentum from Saturday’s 18th green into yesterday’s final round and played magnificently.

Still fighting the blustery conditions, he played consistent golf throughout the round and finished with a 72 for a combined 147 and the low individual score.

“I’ve played pretty well most of the spring,” Klein said. “It was nice to finally have everything fall my way...I really hit the ball pretty well all over the course.”

While Klein was putting together his stellar cap to his career, the rest of the Crimson tried to keep up and vault Harvard into contention for the team championship as well. The tournament consisted of five squads—Army, Bucknell, Lafayette, Dartmouth and the Crimson.

Playing without junior Chris Wu—who was excused from the tournament so he could participate in a play—Harvard couldn’t quite muster a serious challenge to the eventual winner, Army, and finished in a third-place tie with Dartmouth.

Next to Klein, Hynes posted the lowest score for the Crimson with a two-day total of 158.

Junior Cliff Ryan finished with a 167, and freshmen Tom Hegge and Mike Lynch finished with a 171 and 185, respectively. It was Lynch’s competitive debut.

—Staff writer David H. Stearns can be reached at stearns@fas.harvard.edu.