Bucknell University Athletics
Patriot League Golf Champion Charlie Waddell Named Lewisburg Hotel Bison Athlete of the Week
4/25/2005 8:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
April 25, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell sophomore golfer Charlie Waddell (Wilmette, Ill./Lake Forest Academy), fresh off his 2005 Patriot League individual championship, has been named the Lewisburg Hotel Bison Athlete of the Week.
Waddell shot 67-71-71 at Bucknell Golf Club to finish 1-under-par for the tournament, becoming the first Bucknell golfer to win a Patriot League title. It was also Waddell's first collegiate tournament victory. Playing in the last group of the day in Sunday's final round, Waddell birdied two of the last three holes to defeat teammate Ben Pellicani by one shot.
At the downhill par-3 16th, Waddell hit a short iron to about four feet and drained the birdie putt. At No. 17, a dogleg left par-4, his tee shot came to rest just inches from a small brook to the left of the fairway. Forced to take a stance in the gully, Waddell hit a sensational shot that just barely made it to the top side of the two-tiered green, the same level as the hole, and he calmly sank a 10-footer for another birdie. A two-putt par on 18 clinched the win.
Waddell's opening-round 67 was a career-best score and was Bucknell's lowest Patriot League Championship round ever, until Pellicani shot 65 in the second round.
Waddell's performance helped Bucknell to a second-place team finish, seven strokes behind Army. The Bison shattered the team 18-hole scoring record in each of the first two rounds, totaling 286 in the opening round and a terrific 2-over 282 in round two.
Waddell's season scoring average of 74.7 is third-best in school history, while this weekend's conference title marked his seventh top-10 finish in 11 events in 2004-05. He earned All-Patriot League honors for the second straight season, after finishing sixth at the PL event as a freshman.
