Michael O’Brien, a junior from West Chester, Ohio, earned a
top-10 finish to help Saint Joseph’s land in seventh place as the Hawks flew
south to tee it up in the Homewood Hilton Garden Airport and FCGU Classic,
which wrapped up Monday at an Old Corkscrew Golf Club layout in Estero, Fla.
that played tough for the nine-team field.
O’Brien matched par in the afternoon of Sunday’s
double-round with a 72 over the 6,697-yard, par-72 Old Corkscrew track after
opening with a 4-over 76 in the morning. A final-round 78 Monday left him among
the group tied for ninth at 10-over 226.
The team title went to Campbell, which rode a solid opening
round of 5-over 293 to the victory with an 18-over 882 total, four shots better
than the University of Texas-Arlington, which finished at 22-over 886. The
Camels, who were awarded a berth in the NCAA Raleigh Regional last spring,
added a 10-over 298 in Sunday afternoon’s second round before finishing up with
a 3-over 291 Monday.
UT-Arlington matched Campbell’s final-round 291, but
couldn’t recover from an opening-round 300. UT-Arlington gained a little ground
on Campbell with a 7-over 295 Sunday afternoon, but couldn’t close the
seven-shot deficit it faced following the opening round any further.
Eastern Kentucky, led by individual champion Erik Lindwall,
a senior from Sweden, finished third at 909 after its best round of the
tournament Monday, a 300. Host Florida Gulf Coast University was fourth at 918
after a final round of 303 and Lafayette took fifth with a 920 total after the
Leopards carded a final-round 306.
Saint Joseph’s struggled in Sunday morning’s opening round,
posting a 320, before bouncing back with a 303 Sunday afternoon and a 306 in
Monday’s final round.
Campbell was led by Pontus Nyholm, a sophomore from Sweden
who finished second behind his fellow Swede Lindwall with a 1-over 217 total.
Lindwall was the only player to finish under par for 54
holes as he opened with an even-par 72 and added a 1-over 73 before finishing
up with a 2-under 70, one of the few sub-par rounds of the tournament, to end
up with a 1-under 215 total. Nyholm opened with a 1-under 71, added a 2-over 74
and finished up with an even-par 72 to end up two shots behind Lindwall.
Backing up Nyholm for the Camels was Ray Karaivixien, a
sophomore from Thailand, who finished in a tie for fourth at 4-over 220.
Karaivixien’s best round was his 1-under 71 in Sunday morning’s opening round.
He finished up with a 2-over 74.
Campbell’s Max Theodorakis, a junior from Danbury, Conn.,
finished alone in sixth at 221 after matching par in the final round. Jesper
Svensson, a senior from Sweden – the Swedes seem to have liked this Jack
Nicklaus design – was in the group tied for ninth at 226 after a solid 1-over
73 in the final round.
Rounding out the Campbell lineup was Brett McLamb, a
redshirt junior from Coats, N.C. who finished in the group tied for 13th
at 227 after a final round of 2-over 74.
UT-Arlington had two players finish among the top four as
Tanner Gore, a freshman from El Paso, Texas was alone in third at 219 after
what looks like was the low round of the tournament, a 3-under 69 in Monday’s
final round, and Paul Gonzalez, a sophomore from Waxahachie, Texas who joined
Campbell’s Karaivixien in a tie for fourth at 220 after posting a final round
of 2-over 74.
Backing up O’Brien for Saint Joseph’s were junior Richard
Riva, a Lancaster Catholic product, and sophomore Wills Montgomery, a former
Downingtown East standout, both of whom finished among the group tied for 25th
at 234. Both had his best round of the tournament in Monday’s windup with Riva
finishing up with a 2-over 74 while Montgomery posted a 5-over 77.
Senior Ross Pilliod, who starred scholastically at Berks
Catholic, was another shot behind Riva and Montgomery in the group tied for 30th
at 235 after a final round of 5-over 77. Rounding out the lineup for the Hawks
was Noah Henderson, a junior from Solana Beach, Calif. who ended up in the
group tied for 52nd at 257 after a final-round 80.
The Hawks will finish up their fall campaign in the City 6
Championship, which tees off Nov. 10 at Galloway National Golf Club at the
Jersey Shore. The one-round shootout always seems to produce a little drama.
Leading the way for Bucknell at Old Corkscrew was sophomore
Cole Berger, a Westtown School product who finished among the group tied for 16th
at 228. Berger had his best round in Monday’s final round, a 3-over 75.
Freshman Ryan Tall, a Conestoga product, finished alone in
32nd at 236 for the Leopards after a final-round 78. Tall was
recognized by the Golf Association of Philadelphia as its Junior Player of the
Year at its Champions Dinner this week. Tall had a remarkable two-week run last
summer during which he reached the semifinals of the BMW Philadelphia Amateur
Championship at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club and then won the Junior Boys’
Championship the following week at Blue Bell Country Club.
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