Meronk wins, ETSU finishes 10th at Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. – After carding a 6-under 66 Saturday, ETSU’s Adrian Meronk followed it up with a 3-under 69 Sunday to capture the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate championship. The win is Meronk’s fourth career victory and he is the first Buccaneer golfer to win the event since Rhys Davis won it in 2005 and 2006.
The Wroclaw, Poland, native collected five birdies and two bogeys in the final round to round out his score at 7-under for the tournament.
As a team, the Bucs moved up one spot from where they were at the end of Saturday’s play to 10th place and finished with a score of 6-over 870 for the tournament. Chris Hickman and Mateusz Gradecki closed out the tournament strong as both posted scores under par in the final round at 2-under 70 and 1-under 71, respectively.
Hickman ended the tournament even for a 21st place finish, while Gradecki finished 42nd with a score of 6-over. Rounding out the scores for the Bucs were Gudmundur Kristjansson at 7-over and Geuntae Kim, who carded a 15-over in his first collegiate tournament.
In addition, Conor Rodrigues and Cayman Ratliff wrapped up the event as individuals carding 5-over and 13-over for the tournament, respectively.
Penn State won the event’s team title, shooting 20-under 844 during the three days, which was 12 shots lower than the second-place team, Kent State, who shot 8-under 856.
ETSU will return to the links Oct. 16-18 when it competes in the U.S. Collegiate Championship in Alpharetta, Ga.
Furman finishes 13th at Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. – Senior Preston Heyward (+16) carded a 71 to lead the Furman men’s golf team Sunday in the final round of the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate at the par-72, 7,147-yard Blackthorn Club at the Ridges. The Paladins finished 13th at 25-over 889 as a team.
Heyward posted a team-best six birdies, including four on the back, with consecutive birdies on both Nos. 7 and 8 and Nos. 16 and 17 to finish in a tie for 72nd. Junior Bryce Howell (+2) scored a final-round 73 after notching three birdies to lead the Paladins with a 27th-place finish, while senior Preston Cole (+3) also added three birdies to card a 74 and finish in a tie for 32nd.
Senior Wehman Hopke (+10) tied for 62nd after scoring a 78 on Sunday, while freshman Connor Bruns (+17) finished in a tie for 74th after adding a final-round 76. Sophomore Hunter Nichols (+10), who played as an individual, recorded three birdies to card a 1-under 71 on Sunday and concluded the tournament tied for 62nd.
Furman will compete at the Palmetto Collegiate Championship on Oct. 24-25 in Camden, S.C.