 KINGSTON,
R.I.--It took the likes of Texas A&M and North Carolina, schools
from the Big XII and the ACC, but someone finally finished ahead of
USC Aiken in a golf tournament. Riding a school and Peach Belt Conference
record seven tournament winning streak, the two-time defending NCAA
Division II Men’s Golf National Champions finished third at the
Adams Cup of Newport on Tuesday afternoon, 12 shots behind tournament
winner Texas A&M and seven back of North Carolina. (CLINT SMITH
PICTURED)
Individually, four Pacers placed in the top 17 led by senior All-American Scott
Brown’s third-place finish.
The two-day event was contested at the 7,244 yard, par 72 Newport National Golf
Club in Kingston, R.I. The University of Rhode Island served as host of the 16-team
Division I field. USCA joined Bryant College (R.I.) as the only Division II schools
competing.
Windy conditions plagued scores in Monday’s opening 36 holes with just
two teams able to record sub-300 rounds. That changed on Tuesday with the top
three schools all shooting under 300 to distance themselves from the pack. Texas
A&M (+31) finished with a final round 292, North Carolina (+36) had a tournament
best total of 290, while USC Aiken (+43) turned in a final round 298. The host
Rams of Rhode Island (+54) were a distance fourth place while South Florida (+63)
rounded out the top five.
Brown fired his second-straight two-over-par 74 to finish alone in third place,
two back of day one co-leader Bronson Burgoon of Texas A&M and four behind
medalist Martin Ureta of North Carolina. The North Augusta, S.C. native concluded
play at four-over-par 220 and posted his eighth-straight top 10 finish.
Junior Clint Smith carded the Pacers’ best round of the day with an even-par
72 to vault 22 spots into a tie for 10th, his first since placing eighth at last
year’s Peach Belt Conference Championship. Smith finished 12-over-par for
the 54 holes.
Dane Burkhart, the reigning NCAA individual champion and Division II
Player of the Year, followed up yesterday’s rounds of 76 and 77
with another four-over-par 76 to finish at 13-over-par 229 and tie with
VCU’s Daryl Chappell for 15th place. It was his first finish outside
the top 10 since the Kiawah Island Invitational to open last season,
an amazing run of 14-straight events.
Freshman Matt Giftos shot a final round 76 to finish one shot back of Burkhart
and Chappell in 17th place at 14-over-par. Sophomore Casey Thompson turned
in his best round of the tournament with a 78 to tie for 70th with a total
score of 245.
USC Aiken will compete at the Cougar Invitational in Columbus, Ga. on October
3-4. It will mark the Pacers’ final event of the fall season.
ADAMS CUP OF NEWPORT
NEWPORT NATIONAL G.C. KINGSTON, RI
PAR: 72 YARDAGE: 7,244 DATES: SEPTEMBER 26-27
TEAM RESULTS
1 Texas A&M..............................306 297 292 895 +31
2 North Carolina..........................305 305 290 900 +36
3 USC Aiken..............................301 308 298 907 +43
4 Rhode Island............................307 305 306 918 +54
5 South Florida............................317 301 309 927 +63
6 Texas-San Antonio..................323 306 300 929 +65
7 North Texas.............................310 310 311 931 +67
8 VCU.........................................322 296 317 935 +71
9 Southeastern Louisiana..........306 305 327 938 +74
Furman.......................................320 320 298 938 +74
11 Iowa State.............................322 319 302 943 +79
12 Marshall.................................320 316 308 944 +80
13 Georgetown..........................317 310 319 946 +82
14 Yale.......................................318 321 313 952 +88
15 East Carolina.........................329 319 308 956 +92
16 Bryant (R.I.)...........................323 327 321 971 +107
USCA INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (+43) (3rd)
Scott Brown....................72 74 74 220 +4 (3rd)
Clint Smith........................79 77 72 228 +12 (T-10th)
Dane Burkhart.................76 77 76 229 +13 (T-15th)
Matt Giftos.......................74 80 76 230 +14 (17th)
Casey Thompson............83 84 78 245 +29 (T-70th)
INDIVIDUAL WINNER
Martin Ureta, UNC............71 76 69 216 E (1st)
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE RESULTS
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