A strong summer for members of the Valparaiso University men’s golf team continued this past week for rising junior Anthony Delisanti (Sanborn, N.Y. / Niagara Wheatfield) and rising fifth-year senior Caleb VanArragon (Blaine, Minn. / Blaine) continued to thrive.

Delisanti finished as the runner-up at the Monroe Invitational, tying for first with Marshall Meisel of Wake Forest before Meisel took medalist honors after both totaled 271 in a four-round event. Delisanti turned in a round-by-round line of 66-65-73-67 to finish nine strokes under par.

Delisanti forced the playoff by notching birdies on the final two holes, including drilling a 40-foot putt on the 18th to sit as the leader in the clubhouse at -9 with only Meisel’s group left to play 18. Meisel, the 54-hole leader, parred the 72nd hole to set up the epic playoff in which the duo alternated playing between the 18th and 10th holes.

Delasanti started the day at -6 and was even par through 12 holes before putting in a birdie at the par-3 13th. He stayed at -7 until the 17th hole, a 407-yard par-4. He delivered with consecutive birdies to close out his round to force the playoff.

The playoff began at the 18th hole and alternated to the 10th, each hole being a 426-yard par-4. The first four holes ended in pars.

It wasn’t until the fifth playoff hole, No. 18, that the real drama unfolded as the rain poured sideways across the Donald Ross Course. Delisanti put his drive beautifully into the fairway, while Meisel went into the left fairway bunker. Being away, Delisanti delivered a dart into the green to within five feet to put the pressure on Meisel’s sand shot. Meisel answered the bell.

On the sixth and final playoff hole (No. 10), Delisanti nestled his approach shot to within 30-feet, while Meisel was slightly in front of the pin in the greenside rough on the upslope. With one foot straight in the sand and the other bent on the hill, he chipped one high in the air towards the pin.

VanArragon qualified for the 3M Open, a PGA Tour event held in his hometown of Blaine, Minn. He carded 76-70 in his two rounds in the event, finishing four strokes over par for the tournament. He went under par in the second round and represented Valpo well on a big stage.