KRESGEVILLE, Pa. — Senior year is off to an unprecedented start for Pleasant Valley golfer, Lydon Patascher.
“With the way I'm playing right now, I feel like I'm the best player in the world,” said Patascher.
The 17-year-old shot 60 at Allentown Municipal, setting a course record. The previous record was held jointly by Arnold Palmer and Kyle Wambold. Wambold shot 61 on the course in 2017, Palmer in the 1960’s.
“Anytime you can be mentioned in the same conversation as Arnold Palmer is just uh, it's unreal honestly— especially as a high school kid,” said Dan Patascher, Pleasant Valley Assistant Golf coach and Lydon’s father.
Patascher finished the course 12-under par, shooting 31 on the front nine and 29 on the back.
“I was just trying to get out of there, honestly,” said Patascher. “I had two putts. It was a long day. You know, I was on the 18th green, and my dad said he saw me take a deep breath and my shoulders kind of relax knowing the job was kind of done. Just had to two putt it to shoot 60.”
Patascher recalls the bus to take the team to the match arriving late that day. It left the team in a flurry before the match began. Regardless, Patascher had a performance for the ages.
Less than 24 hours later, Patascher and his brother, Drew, captured the 24th annual Wasser Cup title at Wedgewood Golf Club. The two brought home Pleasant Valley’s first Wasser Cup.
Lydon competed in the event each of the last three years, coming in 2nd place last year. The first, and only time, he and his younger brother were able to compete together, the two shot a 9-under-par 61.
“He’s worked hard this summer, I’ve worked hard to be where I’m at, so I knew going in we’d have a good chance to win— I mean it was just a great feeling. I wouldn’t want to win with anyone else,” said Patascher.
Patascher has multiple college offers to consider before senior year classes even begin. While he is unsure of where he wants to go to school, he knows he’ll play collegiate golf. Patascher mentions he hadn’t considered going pro until recently but is also interested in pursuing a career in the military.
“He had an idea of what he wanted to do where he wanted to go with this game and he put the work in and not only did he just put the work in, he did the correct work,” said Dan Patascher. “Everything's finally now coming together, you know, he sees everything that he could get from this game and it's within his grasp.”