Birdie Drought Costs Portemont Shot at Title

Friday, March 11

Tallahassee, FL

Troy University

Florida State University

Photo by: Kevin Glackmeyer

Birdie Drought Costs Portemont Shot at Title

3/13/2011 8:30:35 PM | Golf (M)

By: Ricky Hazel

SEMINOLE INTERCOLLEGIATE RESULTS

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Going into Sunday's final round at the Seminole Intercollegiate, Troy senior Zach Portemont owned the outright individual lead.

After posting a birdie on his first on Sunday, a 547-yard par five, Portemont had a two-shot lead and appeared to be on his way to his first collegiate title. He never expected that early birdie to be his only red number of the day.

“Zach didn't do much wrong, he just only made one birdie,” Trojans coach Matt Terry said. “The putts just weren't falling for him. He bogeyed 12, which was the hardest hole on the course, then he three-putted 17. He lost some really good players, but that is two good finishes in a row for him.

“He knew he needed a birdie coming in. He had a good look at 15 and 16 but both putts were downhill. He didn't have a chance on 17 with a 35-footer and then missed a four-footer. He is playing well, and is seven under for his last seven rounds.”

Portemont finished the day with a one-over par round of 72 after carding bogeys on the par four 12th hole as well as the par three 17th, to give him a three-day score of three-under par 210, two shots behind a trio of players in a three-way tie for fourth.

As a team, the Trojans posted their best round of the weekend on Sunday, a two-over par total of 286 to move past Mississippi State into sixth place in the 18-team tournament.

“It could have been much better because we were five under through nine,” Terry said. “We just weren't able to finish the round, but we are getting better.”

Nationally-ranked Arkansas, led by one of the event's three co-champions Sebastian Cappelen, held off hard charging Kennesaw State for a three-shot victory over the Owls for the tournament title. Kennesaw posted the low team round of the tournament on Sunday, an eight-under par 276, to edge host Florida State for second.

The Seminoles (-3) and North Texas (-2) finished third and fourth and joined Arkansas and Kennesaw State with total scores under par for the weekend. Houston (+13) finished fifth, three shots ahead of the Trojans (+16).

Kennesaw State's Jeff Karlsson and Florida State's Drew Kittleson joined Cappelen as co-champions of the event as individuals. Portemont tied for fourth with Curtis Reed of Houston and Arkansas' Ethan Tracy.

Troy senior Reid Merritt finished tied for 29th after shooting a one-under par final round of 70 to give him a three-day score of six-over par 218. Senior Chase Whitehead finished one shot back of Merritt in a tie for 38th.

Ricky Casko shot an even par 71 on Sunday and finished tied for 43rd at nine-over par 222. Freshman Nathan Kinch finished with a 75 on Sunday and tied for 81st with a three-day score of 18-over par 231.

The Trojans will be back in action this weekend when they travel to Greenville, SC, to play in the Furman Intercollegiate.

“That will be another good field and another opportunity for our guys,” Terry said. “Reid and Chase both played well this weekend and Ricky finished strong. We have to get Nathan away from having those one or two really bad holes and he will be able to help us as well.”

The Furman tournament will be another three-day event, with a practice round on Thursday followed by single rounds on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The Troy women's golf team will open play on Monday with the first two rounds of play at the Samford Intercollegiate, which is being played at the Limestone Springs Golf Club in Oneonta, Ala.