St. John's University Athletics
Sunday, April 30
Hardeeville, S.C. (Riverton Pointe Golf Club)
St. John's University
at
Big East Championship
Jack Simon Wins BIG EAST Individual Title
4/30/2023 6:04:00 PM | Men's Golf
Red Storm finish runner-up as a team, its best result since 2014
HARDEEVILLE, S.C.- St. John's men's golfer Jack Simon was crowned a co-BIG EAST Champion and captured a one-hole playoff victory to punch his ticket to the NCAA Regionals on Sunday.
Simon finished 3-under, 213, to become the school's first individual champion since Dylan Crowley in 2015 and will await his regional selection during the 2023 NCAA Golf Championships Selection Show on Wednesday at 1 p.m. on the Golf Channel.
"Jack is the engine that makes this team run," Head Coach Phil Wildermuth said. "He is a team leader and has a way with words and saying them at the right time and for making putts at the right time."
After sitting tied for the seventh after round one as a team, St. John's orchestrated an impressive comeback to finish runner-up at the 2023 BIG EAST Championships presented by JEEP, its highest finish since 2014. A 9-under second round on Saturday, the team's lowest single-round score to par since Oct. 29, 2007 propelled the Red Storm up the leaderboard to put them in position.
Under first-year Head Coach Phil Wildermuth, the Red Storm finished 12-over, 876, as a team three strokes behind the champions Marquette at Riverton Pointe Golf Club. The Red Storm held a lead during the final round but the top-seeded Golden Eagles surged on the back nine despite windy conditions to take the conference crown in Hardeeville, S.C.
Trailing by a stroke on the 18th hole Simon fired an incredible approach shot to get within 10-feet of the hole for a birdie chance. Not having made a birdie all day long, the graduate student stepped up and drained it into the cup sending him to a one-hole playoff with Marquette's Bhoom Sima-Aree.
In the playoff, the two went back to the 18th tee with an NCAA berth on the line. After his drive went into the pine straw on the par-5 the Sparta, N.J., native striped a 4-iron to set up his third shot on the fairway. Once again, Simon dialed an incredible approach shot to sit just three-feet away from the hole. After Sima-Aree made par Simon had a close-range putt to clinch the playoff victory. The veteran nailed it to become eighth Red Storm player to ever win BIG EAST medalist honors and will move on to compete in NCAA Regionals, a first for a Red Storm player since 2014.
"I've given my heart and soul to this program since the day I got here," Simon said on what this title means to him. "I care so much about every teammate I've had and Coach [Wildermuth] is like a father-figure to us. I have no words."
Three Red Storm players finished inside the top-10 for the first time since 2016.
Ryan Rittberger had his best performance of his St. John's career in Hardeeville, S.C. The senior finished at 1-over, 217, to finish in the top-5. The Greenlawn, N.Y., native recorded a 2-under, 70, in each of his first two rounds. He was named to the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team for his efforts.
Peicheng Chen was the third Johnnie to finish ending the 54-hole tournament tied for 10th. The sophomore carded a 3-over and was excellent over the final 18 holes. The Beijing, China native had a strong final day tallying a 1-under, 71.
Tyler Gerbavsits recorded three birdies in the opening nine holes on Sunday and concluded the tournament at 11-over.
Simon will head to an NCAA Regional site on May 15-17 for a chance to advance the finals at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., on May 26-31.
The rest of the Red Storm squad will be back on the course this upcoming fall.
"I love all these players. I wish we had more time together but we made the most of this season," Wildermuth said. "We came down here to win and we came close. I will always treasure the van rides, the laughs and their hard work."
Simon finished 3-under, 213, to become the school's first individual champion since Dylan Crowley in 2015 and will await his regional selection during the 2023 NCAA Golf Championships Selection Show on Wednesday at 1 p.m. on the Golf Channel.
"Jack is the engine that makes this team run," Head Coach Phil Wildermuth said. "He is a team leader and has a way with words and saying them at the right time and for making putts at the right time."
After sitting tied for the seventh after round one as a team, St. John's orchestrated an impressive comeback to finish runner-up at the 2023 BIG EAST Championships presented by JEEP, its highest finish since 2014. A 9-under second round on Saturday, the team's lowest single-round score to par since Oct. 29, 2007 propelled the Red Storm up the leaderboard to put them in position.
Under first-year Head Coach Phil Wildermuth, the Red Storm finished 12-over, 876, as a team three strokes behind the champions Marquette at Riverton Pointe Golf Club. The Red Storm held a lead during the final round but the top-seeded Golden Eagles surged on the back nine despite windy conditions to take the conference crown in Hardeeville, S.C.
Trailing by a stroke on the 18th hole Simon fired an incredible approach shot to get within 10-feet of the hole for a birdie chance. Not having made a birdie all day long, the graduate student stepped up and drained it into the cup sending him to a one-hole playoff with Marquette's Bhoom Sima-Aree.
In the playoff, the two went back to the 18th tee with an NCAA berth on the line. After his drive went into the pine straw on the par-5 the Sparta, N.J., native striped a 4-iron to set up his third shot on the fairway. Once again, Simon dialed an incredible approach shot to sit just three-feet away from the hole. After Sima-Aree made par Simon had a close-range putt to clinch the playoff victory. The veteran nailed it to become eighth Red Storm player to ever win BIG EAST medalist honors and will move on to compete in NCAA Regionals, a first for a Red Storm player since 2014.
"I've given my heart and soul to this program since the day I got here," Simon said on what this title means to him. "I care so much about every teammate I've had and Coach [Wildermuth] is like a father-figure to us. I have no words."
Three Red Storm players finished inside the top-10 for the first time since 2016.
Ryan Rittberger had his best performance of his St. John's career in Hardeeville, S.C. The senior finished at 1-over, 217, to finish in the top-5. The Greenlawn, N.Y., native recorded a 2-under, 70, in each of his first two rounds. He was named to the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team for his efforts.
Peicheng Chen was the third Johnnie to finish ending the 54-hole tournament tied for 10th. The sophomore carded a 3-over and was excellent over the final 18 holes. The Beijing, China native had a strong final day tallying a 1-under, 71.
Tyler Gerbavsits recorded three birdies in the opening nine holes on Sunday and concluded the tournament at 11-over.
Simon will head to an NCAA Regional site on May 15-17 for a chance to advance the finals at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., on May 26-31.
The rest of the Red Storm squad will be back on the course this upcoming fall.
"I love all these players. I wish we had more time together but we made the most of this season," Wildermuth said. "We came down here to win and we came close. I will always treasure the van rides, the laughs and their hard work."
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
Peicheng Chen Interview
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