Men's Golf Southern Conference

ETSU finishes eighth at Warrior Princeville Makai Invite

ETSU finishes eighth at Warrior Princeville Makai Invite

KAUAI, Hawaii – Playing in his final tournament this fall season, ETSU senior Chris Hickman paced the 45th-ranked Buccaneers in the final round of the Warrior Princeville Makai Invitational on Wednesday afternoon at the Princeville Makai Golf Club.

Hickman guided the Blue and Gold with a 3-under-par 69 on Wednesday, while fellow senior Adrian Meronk led ETSU in the 54-hole tournament as he finished tied for ninth at 7-under-par 209 (71-67-71). Meronk – who registered an eagle, 11 birdies and 36 pars in the fall finale – carded a 1-under 71 in the final round on Wednesday.

As a group, the Buccaneers bounced back after a shaky opening round as ETSU recorded consecutive rounds of below par in the final two days of the tournament en route to finishing in eighth place at 3-under-par 861 (295-282-284). Following their 6-under 282 on Tuesday, the Bucs shot 4-under-par 284 in Wednesday’s final round to jump three spots up the leaderboard.

Alabama held off Wake Forest for the team title as the 16th-ranked Crimson Tide fired a 14-under 274 in the final round to defeat the third-ranked Demon Deacons by five strokes. The Crimson Tide finished the three-day tournament at 40-under-par 824 (281-269-274), while Wake Forest earned runner-up honors at 35-under-par 829 (278-274-277) and No. 34 UAB placed third at 28-under-par 836 (287-268-281).

While Alabama edged out Wake Forest for the team championship, the roles were reversed for the individual title.

Wake Forest’s Cameron Young – who led after day one – shot a 5-under 67 on Wednesday and captured medalist honors by finishing at 15-under-par 201 (66-68-67), while Alabama’s Tom Lovelady placed second at 13-under-par 203 (68-67-68).

Like Hickman, ETSU junior Mateusz Gradecki also finished tied for 28th at even-par 216 (77-69-70). Gradecki bagged six birdies in the final round and totaled a 2-under 70. Meanwhile, freshman Geuntae Kim tied for 65th at 8-over-par 224 (75-75-74) and senior Gudmundur Kristjansson tied for 69th at 9-over-par 225 (74-74-77).

Following a fall campaign where Meronk earned medalist honors at the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate and ETSU finished runner-up at the Inverness Intercollegiate, the Bucs open their spring season on Feb. 15 at The Prestige in La Quinta, Calif.