Mocs Tie for Fifth at Palisades
CHARLOTTE, N.C.--The Chattanooga golf team rallied on the back nine of Tuesday’s final round to finish tied for fifth with 20th ranked Louisville at the Palisades Collegiate Classic.
The Mocs were 12-over par on the round after nine holes, and rallied on the back nine to post a 3-over par 291.
Derek Rende’s final round 73 dropped him into a tie for 12th place at 3-under par. Rende has finished in the top 12 in each of the last four tournaments.
Senior Mitch Brock was 5-over par early in his round before carding six birdies. His score of level par 72 earned him a 17th place finish, his best finish since a 16th place effort at the Scenic City Invitational last October.
“Mitch really got us going” said Mocs’ head coach Mark Guhne. “He dug himself a little bit of a hole in the early going but then he really turned it on. Today’s round really could have blown up on us. We were on pace to shoot well above 300 and the guys really ground it out. This time of year it is really important not to let a round get away from you. I think we are playing well heading into the SoCon Championships.”
Jonathan Hodge finished at even par, good for a tie for 19th place. Hodge is ranked No. 99 in the country by Golfstat, making him the second Chattanooga player to break into the top 100. Brendan Wilson finished the 1999 season rated No. 96, the highest individual rating in the history of the program.
The Mocs finished 13 strokes behind the host, No. 23 Charlotte. UTC led No. 4 Lamar after two rounds, but the Cardinals showed why they have their last three tournaments and five on the season, posting a final-round score of 15-under par to jump from eighth place to second at 8-under par.
The Palisades Collegiate Classic, played at the 6,797 yard layout of the Palisades Country Club is the Mocs’ final tune-up before heading to the Southern Conference Championships in Florence, S.C. next week. The Mocs finished third in last season’s championships, the highest finish since winning the league crown in 1987.
Entering the SoCon Championships, the Mocs are the league’s highest ranked program. The Mocs are ranked No. 39 by Golfstat and No. 42 by Golfweek. UTC also received 10 votes in the lastest Golfworld/Nike Coaches Poll, landing the Mocs in 31st position. The Mocs have finished no worse than fifth this spring and has eight top five finishes and three wins this season.
TEAM SCORES:
1. Charlotte 280-283-286=849 (-15)
2. Lamar 289-294-273=856 (-8)
3. Ole Miss 286-285-287=858 (-6)
4. SE Louisiana 278-285-297=860 (-4)
T5. Chattanooga 284-287-291=862 (-2)
T5. Louisville 287-284-291=862 (-2)
7. Xavier 290-292-287=869 (+5)
8. North Florida 292-291-291=874 (+10)
9. Mississippi State 300-288-290=878 (+14)
10. Belmont Abbey 284-298-297=879 (+15)
11. Memphis 290-294-297=881 (+17)
12. Sam Houston State 297-289-298=884 (+20)
13. Davidson 284-306-296=886 (+22)
14. Francis Marion 304-295-299=898 (+34)
15. USC Aiken 309-296-294=899 (+35)
16. Nebraska 304-293-304=901 (+37)
17. Mercer 306-306-295=907 (+43)
18. South Alabama 300-318-319=937 (+73)
Chattanooga Individuals
T12. Derek Rende 70-70-73=213 (-3)
T17. Mitch Brock 71-72-72=215 (-1)
T19. Jonathan Hodge 70-73-73=216 (E)
T31. Bryce Ledford 74-72-73=219 (+3)
T39. Fredrik Qvicker 73-73-75=221 (+5)
*92. Daniel Wood 76-79-83=238 (+22)
*competing as an individual
Top-5 Individuals
1. Brad Benjamin (Memphis) 70-69-68=207 (-9)
T2. Callum Macaulay (Ole Miss) 71-68-70=209 (-7)
T2. Dawie VanDerWalt (Lamar)69-72-68=209 (-7)
4. Jason Kokrak (Xavier) 71-69-70=210 (-6)
T5. Matthew Carvell (SE Louisiana) 67-70-74=211 (-5)
T5. Cory Nagy (Charlotte) 70-70-71=211 (-5)
T5. Aaron O’Callaghan (SE Louisiana) 73-70-68=211 (-5)
T5. Brian Mason (Mississippi State) 72-68-70=211 (-5)
T5. Andrew DiBitetto (Charlotte) 69-72-70=211 (-5)
Wildcats Finish Palisades Collegiate Golf Classic in 13th
CHARLOTTE, N.C. ? Despite a four-under 68 from senior Alex Knoll, Davidson carded a final round 296 to conclude the 2007 Palisades Collegiate Golf Classic in 13th place. The 54-hole event hosted by Davidson College and Charlotte was played on the 6,797-yard, par 72 Palisades Country Club layout.
Knoll, a native of Bethlehem, Pa., finished as the top Wildcat placing tied for 31st with a two-day total of 219 (71-80-68). The Davidson co-captain entered the last day of competition tied for 60th before climbing his way up the leaderboard. Other Wildcat competitors included, David Fowler (T-39th/221), Steve Mayo (T-48th/223), Michael Saari (T-73rd/229) and Ty White (T-93rd/241).
As a club, Davidson opened the event with a season-low four-under 284 before dropping to 13th in the team standings with a second round score of 306.
Both Charlotte and Southeastern Louisiana began the final 18 holes atop the leaderboard, but the 49ers were the only club to continue their impressive play to take the team title. Charlotte fired a two-under 286 in Tuesday’s round to conclude with a two-day score of 15-under, seven strokes clear of Lamar, who torched the course with a tournament-low 273 (-15) to climb six spots in the team standings. The Cardinals entered the first annual event ranked fourth nationally, but suffered a pair of over-par rounds to open the classic Monday.
Brad Benjamin of Memphis took individual medalist honors thanks to a final round score of 68 to finish with a 54-hole total of nine-under (70-69-68 = 207). Benjamin edged Dawie Van Der Walt of Lamar and Mississippi’s Callum Macaulay, who each finished at seven-under. Xavier’s Jason Kokrak placed alone in fourth, while five golfers tied for fifth with a 211 (-5) clip.
The Wildcats will enjoy a lengthy break before taking part in the 2007 Southern Conference Championships at the Country Club of South Carolina in Florence, S.C., April 22-24.
Team Standings
Pos. Team Rd. 1 Rd. 2 Rd. 3 Total +/-
1 Charlotte 280 283 286 849 -15
2 Lamar University 289 294 273 856 -8
3 Mississippi, U. of 286 285 287 858 -6
4 Southeastern La. U. 278 285 297 860 -4
5 Tenn.-Chattanooga 284 287 291 862 -2
Louisville, U. of 287 284 291 862 -2
7 Xavier University 290 292 287 869 +5
8 North Florida, U. of 292 291 291 874 +10
9 Mississippi St. U. 300 288 290 878 +14
10 Belmont Abbey Coll. 284 298 297 879 +15
11 Memphis, U. of 290 294 297 881 +17
12 Sam Houston St. U. 297 289 298 884 +20
13 Davidson College 284 306 296 886 +22
14 Francis Marion U. 304 295 299 898 +34
15 South Carolina-Aiken 309 296 294 899 +35
16 Nebraska, U. of 304 293 304 901 +37
17 Mercer University 306 306 295 907 +43
18 South Alabama, U. of 300 318 319 937 +73
Davidson Wildcats
Pos. Player Rd. 1 Rd. 2 Rd. 3 Total +/-
T 31 Alex Knoll 71 80 68 219 +3
T 39 David Fowler 69 75 77 221 +5
T 48 Steve Mayo 72 77 74 223 +7
T 73 Michael Saari 72 76 81 229 +13
T 93 Ty White 86 78 77 241 +25
Stamey's season-best 68 helps UNCG to 10th at Cowboy Classic
SCOTTSDALE, AZ ? UNC Greensboro fired a final round 289 to finish 10th at the Wyoming Cowboy Classic at Crooked Stick Golf Club’s North Course.
Nathan Stamey led the way for the Spartans on Tuesday. He fired a final round 68, his lowest round this season, to rally from 40th place to start the day to finish in 17th.
J.D. Bass recorded his seventh Top 20 finish of the season, shooting a 73 on Tuesday to finish tied for 11th place. In 41 career tournaments, Bass has now finished in the Top 20 17 times, including each of the last six going back to last October.
UC Davis’ Louis Bishop carded a 69 on Tuesday to win the individual title by one shot over a trio of golfers. UC Davis also won the team title with a score of 840, outlasing Utah and UC Santa Barbara by one shot. UNCG finished tenth at 859.
The Spartans return to action at the Southern Conference Championships in Florence, SC on April 22.
AGATE
TEAM STANDINGS: UC Davis 840, Utah 841, UC Santa Barbara 841, Oral Roberts 853, Southern Utah 854, Kansas 854, North Texas 855, Old Dominion 856, Iowa State 856, UNCG 859, UC Riverside 862, Kennesaw State 966, UTEP 869, Gonzaga 873, Campbell 874, Western Kentucky 877, Idaho 879, Northern Colorado 881, Air Force 884, Santa Clara 885, Weber State 885, Wyoming 885, Utah Valley State 897.
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
Top 10: 1. Louie Bishop (UC Davis) 67-69-69=205; T-2. Gary Woodland (Kansas) 73-67-66=206; T-2. Joe Ryon (UC Santa Barbara), T-2. Nate Pistacchio (UC Davis) 69-66-71=205; T-5. Scott Clayton (UC Riverside) 69-70-70=209; T-5. Dustin Pimm (Utah) 69-70-70=209; T-5. Chris Baker (Iowa State) 67-72-70=209; T-5. Cole Howard (North Texas) 69-72-68=209; T-5. Scott Stiles (Oral Roberts) 67-71-71=209; T-5. Chris Gresh (Utah) 72-69-68=209.
Other UNCG golfers:T-11 J.D. Bass 69-68-73=210; T-17. Nathan Stamey 70-74-68=212; T-46. Nick Baker 74-70-74=218; T-56. Kyle Stockton 73-72-74=219; T-91. Drew Younts 74-75-76=225.