Troy University Athletics
Trojans Slide To Seventh at USF Invitational
3/8/2009 6:00:00 AM | Golf
DADE CITY, Fla. ? The Troy University men's golf team went into Sunday's final round at the Ron Smith/USF Invitational at the Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club within one stroke of national power Marquette at the top of the leaderboard.
After shooting a final round of 295, seven over par, the Trojans slid down to a seventh-place finish in a tournament that included 23 teams, including four ranked in the top 50 in the nation.
Marquette didn't fare much better in the final round, shooting a team score of 294, slipping to sixth (864).
Texas Tech and Florida Southern took advantage of the top two teams' struggles, shooting scores of four-under 284 and five-under 283 respectively to finish tied atop the leaderboard with matching scores of six-under par 858.
The Red Raiders took top honors in the event, outscoring Florida Southern 16-19 on one playoff hole.
Middle Tennessee shot 290 on Sunday to take third place (861), followed by Louisville (862) and Baylor (863). Troy finished seventh with a team score of 866, just eight shots behind the tournament leaders.
Top individual honors in the event were shared by Santiago Rivas of Texas Tech and Matt Stauch of Florida Southern. Both players finished the tournament at nine-under par 207. Rivas shot a blistering 68 on Sunday while Stauch shot a 73.
Both players finished three shots ahead of Mike Van Sickle, the son of Sports Illustrated writer Gary Van Sickle, who is one of the top 10 rated players in the nation. Van Sickle closed with a 71 on Sunday to finish at six-under par 210.
Troy University senior Wes Parker (Enterprise, Ala.) was the top individual finisher for the Trojans. Parker was steady all weekend, posting scores of 71-72-72 to finish at one-under par 215 in a five-way tie for 13th place.
Freshman Rourke Van Der Spuy (Bluff, KwaZuluNatal, South Africa) finished in a tie for 18th place in the tournament with an even-par score of 218 for the weekend.
Junior Chase Whitehead (Eufaula, Ala.) turned in the best round of the tournament for Troy, posting a five-under score of 67 on Saturday, but he sandwiched scores of 75 on either side and finished the weekend with a one-over score of 217 in a tie for 22nd place.
Senior Jay Harris (Florence, Ala.) finished in a tie for 52nd after posting scores of 74-72-75 to finish with a five-over total of 221. Sophomore Reid Merritt (Slocomb, Ala.) rounded out the Troy squad, posting scores of 73-71-80 to finish in a tie for 72nd with a score of 224.
The Trojans will be back in action March 21-24 at the Magnolia Grove Golf Club in Mobile at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate.
After shooting a final round of 295, seven over par, the Trojans slid down to a seventh-place finish in a tournament that included 23 teams, including four ranked in the top 50 in the nation.
Marquette didn't fare much better in the final round, shooting a team score of 294, slipping to sixth (864).
Texas Tech and Florida Southern took advantage of the top two teams' struggles, shooting scores of four-under 284 and five-under 283 respectively to finish tied atop the leaderboard with matching scores of six-under par 858.
The Red Raiders took top honors in the event, outscoring Florida Southern 16-19 on one playoff hole.
Middle Tennessee shot 290 on Sunday to take third place (861), followed by Louisville (862) and Baylor (863). Troy finished seventh with a team score of 866, just eight shots behind the tournament leaders.
Top individual honors in the event were shared by Santiago Rivas of Texas Tech and Matt Stauch of Florida Southern. Both players finished the tournament at nine-under par 207. Rivas shot a blistering 68 on Sunday while Stauch shot a 73.
Both players finished three shots ahead of Mike Van Sickle, the son of Sports Illustrated writer Gary Van Sickle, who is one of the top 10 rated players in the nation. Van Sickle closed with a 71 on Sunday to finish at six-under par 210.
Troy University senior Wes Parker (Enterprise, Ala.) was the top individual finisher for the Trojans. Parker was steady all weekend, posting scores of 71-72-72 to finish at one-under par 215 in a five-way tie for 13th place.
Freshman Rourke Van Der Spuy (Bluff, KwaZuluNatal, South Africa) finished in a tie for 18th place in the tournament with an even-par score of 218 for the weekend.
Junior Chase Whitehead (Eufaula, Ala.) turned in the best round of the tournament for Troy, posting a five-under score of 67 on Saturday, but he sandwiched scores of 75 on either side and finished the weekend with a one-over score of 217 in a tie for 22nd place.
Senior Jay Harris (Florence, Ala.) finished in a tie for 52nd after posting scores of 74-72-75 to finish with a five-over total of 221. Sophomore Reid Merritt (Slocomb, Ala.) rounded out the Troy squad, posting scores of 73-71-80 to finish in a tie for 72nd with a score of 224.
The Trojans will be back in action March 21-24 at the Magnolia Grove Golf Club in Mobile at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate.
PODCAST - Kaleb Canales
Saturday, September 13
Players Postgame Press Conference - Memphis
Saturday, September 13
Gerad Parker Postgame Press Conference - Memphis
Saturday, September 13
PODCAST - Kaleb Canales
Saturday, September 13