Saari Wins Individual Medalist Honors at Davidson College Invitational; Wildcats Finish Fourth
DAVIDSON, N.C. - Senior Michael Saari used an even-par 72 on the final 18 holes Tuesday morning to jump into first place and pick up his first career win at the Davidson College Invitational. As a team, the Wildcats finished in fourth place overall at the tournament, which was held at River Run Country Club in Davidson.
Saari, who entered the final day of competition in a tie for second place, fired a 35 on the back nine to bring home individual medalist honors by one stroke over the runner-up competitor. Saari’s combined score of 218 was good for two-over par, and gave the Lilburn, Ga. native his second-straight top-five finish this year.
“I’m happy for Michael,” Davidson head coach Tim Straub said. “To get his first collegiate win at our home course and in our home tournament is great for him.”
As a team, the ?Cats fired a final-round 302 for a total score of 899 to come in fourth place for the tournament, their third consecutive top-ten of the season, and fourth in a row dating back to last year. Freshman Jackson Taylor finished in a tie for seventh place with a three-round score of 225, matching the top finish of his career.
All five of the Wildcats who had their scores contribute to the overall team total finished in the top 40 players, including Adam Lewicki’s tie for 17th place with his score of 227. Christopher Rollins (T-23/230) and Bobby Urso (38/240) also turned in strong performances for the ?Cats.
Sophomore Ryan Crum was the top finisher among those playing as individuals, shooting a 13-over 229 to come in a tie for 21st place. Rounding out Davidson contingent was David Fowler (T-30/233), Robert Mayo (43/251), and Andrew Goyzueta (44/255).
“For our guys to come out and perform as well as they did these past three days, I’m really proud of them,” said Straub. “They stuck in there on a very difficult golf course and played well.”
Northern Illinois and Army both finished the tournament with identical team scores of 894 to tie for the team title, with NIU jumping three spots from their fourth-place position entering the day. They were followed by Wofford, who came in two shots back in third place with a score of 896, three shots ahead of Davidson. Gardner-Webb closed the top five in fifth place, with Charleston Southern, Appalachian State, and Elon rounding out the eight-team field.
The Wildcats will look to build on their success this week when they head down to Wilmington, N.C. on Oct. 24-26 to take part in the Landfall Tradition Collegiate, hosted by UNC Wilmington.
SAMFORD MEN’S GOLF IMPROVES ON FINAL DAY; FINISHES 12TH AT JERRY PATE INTERCOLLEGIATE
--- The Bulldogs shot a 292 on Tuesday, their best round of the week ---
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- The Samford University men’s golf team carded a final round score of 292 on Tuesday to finish the 2008 Jerry Pate Intercollegiate in 12th place. The Bulldogs completed the two-day competition against some of the nation’s top teams with a final score of 888.
Samford’s Ian Cutting fired a team-best round of 70 on Tuesday to lead the Bulldogs to their best score of the tournament. Samford improved in each round of the event and averaged a 293 in the final two 18-hole sessions of the competition.
Cutting, the Bulldogs’ senior from Fayetteville, Ga., finished the tournament with a three-round score of 215 (72-73-70). He ended the event in a tie for 32nd place.
Samford’s Martin Bunt turned in the team’s second-best score of the week with a 223 (75-75-73), while Andrew Villarreal (78-73-75?226), Bobby Baird (77-77-74?228) and Tyler Baird (82-73-77?232) rounded out the team’s scores.
Alabama came from behind to win the 2008 Jerry Pate Intercollegiate with a final team score of 830. The Crimson Tide fired a final-round mark of 281, while day one-leader SMU carded a 291 to end the tournament in third place. Auburn earned the second-place title with a final score of 836.
SMU’s Kelly Kraft earned the individual championship with a three-round score of 204 (67-68-69).
The Samford University men’s golf team will next be in action Nov. 3-4 as the Bulldogs participate in the 2008 Western Carolina Invitational. The two-day event will be Samford’s final competition of the fall season.
UNCG’s Isenhour 56th, Housman 59th at Duke Coca-Cola Individual Collegiate
GREENSBORO, NC ? UNC Greensboro men’s golfers John Isenhour and Dickon Housman finished tied for 56th and 59th respectively at the Duke Coca-Cola Individual Collegiate on Tuesday.
The tournament field consisted of 63 individual golfers from Augusta State, Barton, Campbell, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, Florida, George Mason, Guilford, North Carolina, N.C. State, Northern Illinois, SMU, UNC Greensboro, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest. It is designed for players who are in the lower positions on their team’s line-up or are fighting to make the final spots in a team’s weekly lineup.
Isenhour shot a final round 82, while Housman closed the tournament out with a round of 89 on Tuesday.
North Carolina’s Philip Chauncey shot a final round 69 to come back and win the title. After being the only golfer to record two sub-par rounds yesterday, Vanderbilt’s John Ebert shot a final round 80 to fall from the top of the leaderboard. Chauncey’s 69 gave him a three shot win over Florida’s Tim McKenney.
UNCG returns to action next Monday when it begins play at the Georgetown Intercollegiate.
Whitehead's under par score leads Wofford into third place
DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Wofford junior Kirk Whitehead fired the lone sub-par round among the Terriers Tuesday to help the squad move into third place among eight schools in the final standings of the Davidson College Invitational on the par 72, 7,024-yard River Run Country Club course in Davidson, N.C.
Whitehead finished the tournament with a 78-82-71--231 (+15) to tie for 26th, matching the result of rookie Zach Capps who was playing in his first collegiate event. Capps posted a 76-83-72--231 (+15) as Wofford carded a 3-over par team score during the final 18 holes. It was the lowest round tally among the eight schools.
Senior Drew Perry finished as the top Terrier individual with a third-place finish of 76-69-76--221 (+5), three strokes behind medalist Michael Saari of the host Wildcats.
Junior Garrett Medeiros tied for 13th after registering a 79-75-72--226 (+10). Whitehead's younger brother, freshman Brent, equaled Medeiros and tallied a 74-75-77--226 (+10).
Northern Illinois and Army were declared the tournament's co-champions after no playoff was contested.
Wofford will conclude its fall slate Nov. 3-4 at The Hummingbird Intercollagiate at Sapphire Valley Country Club in Cashiers, N.C.
Wofford Individuals:
3--Drew Perry, 76-69-76--221 (+5)
T13--Garrett Medeiros, 79-75-72--226 (+10)
T13--Brent Whitehead, 74-75-77--226 (+10)
T26--Kirk Whitehead, 78-82-71--231 (+15)
T26--Zach Capps, 76-83-72--231 (+15)
Top-10 Individuals:
1--Michael Saari (Davidson), 71-75-72--218 (+2)
2--Matt Krembel (Army), 75-71-73--219 (+3)
3--Drew Perry (Wofford), 76-69-76--221 (+5)
T4--Max Hosking (Northern Illinois), 78-72-72--222 (+6)
T4--Adam Rosenthal (Northern Illinois), 77-75-70--222 (+6)
6--Scott Wheeler (Gardner-Webb), 74-74-76--224 (+8)
T7--Ryan Bell (Gardner-Webb), 72-79-74--225 (+9)
T7--Sam Walenz (Army), 75-73-77--225 (+9)
T7--Andrew Frame (Northern Illinois), 72-76-77--225 (+9)
T7--Jackson Taylor (Davidson), 75-72-78--225 (+9)
T7--William Park (Army), 77-72-76--225 (+9)
T7--Tim Kay (Northern Illinois), 77-73-75--225 (+9)
Team Standings:
T1--Northern Illinois, 304-296-294--894 (+30)
T1--Army, 302-294-298--894 (+30)
3--Wofford, 304-301-291--896 (+32)
4--Davidson, 299-298-302--899 (+35)
5--Gardner-Webb, 291-302-310--903 (+39)
6--Charleston Southern, 306-308-308--922 (+58)
7--Appalachian State, 310-309-307--926 (+62)
8--Elon, 309-309-312--930 (+66)