Diaz, USC Aiken Capture Wexford Title; Lander Ties for First at Southbridge
Roberto Diaz and the top-ranked team in NCAA Division II
men’s golf opened up its 2009 season in prime fashion as USC
Aiken claimed the overall team victory and Diaz obtained individual
medalist honors at the fourth annual Wexford Plantation
Intercollegiate at the par 72, 6,828-yard Wexford Plantation course
on Tuesday, Feb. 24.
The Pacers finished with a cumulative team score of 897
(292-299-306) to claim the team crown in the event. The
Pacers’ round of 292 in the first round was the low team
score of the tournament.
The tournament title for USC Aiken is the third of the 2008-09
season. The Pacers also won the Kiawah Island Invitational and the
AFLAC/Cougar Invitational in the fall of 2008.
Diaz (Veracruz, Mexico) had finished the first two rounds tied with
teammate J.P. Solis (Morelia, Mexico) for first place in the
Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate.
Diaz fired a two-under-par 70 in the third and final round to
acquire the tournament title. His total of 214 (70-74-70) bested
second-place finisher Josh Gallman (218) of USC Upstate by four
strokes.
The title was the fourth of Diaz’ collegiate career.
In total, USC Aiken had three players finish in the top 10 with
Solis finishing in fourth with a score of 221 (69-75-77).
Solis’ 69 in the first round was the tournament low score.
Meanwhile, for the first time in the eight-year history of
the AASU/Southbridge Pirate Invitational, two teams shared the
title as No. 8-ranked Lander made up 10 strokes on the final day to
catch No. 24 Valdosta State, both teams finishing with an 895
score.
A playoff was not competed between the two teams due to darkness.
Play began on Tuesday an hour late because of a frost delay.
The Bearcats shot a final-round 298 on Tuesday, while Valdosta
State carded a 308, both teams finishing the 54-hole tournament
with 31-over-par 895 totals. Host Armstrong Atlantic State nearly
pulled off a miraculous comeback themselves as the Pirates played
their final hole of the tournament five-under-par, with seniors
Justin Smith and Chris Wolfe carding eagles on the Par 5 18th hole
to cap off a 298 round - leaving AASU one stroke shy of the
co-champions with a 32-over-par 896 total.
Newberry shot a 901 on Tuesday to finish fourth with a 901 total,
while the day's best round went to Coker, who fired a 297 to finish
tied for fifth at 903 with Georgia College & State (302). Mount
Olive shot 303 on Tuesday and finished seventh with a 916 total,
followed by PBC schools UNC Pembroke (304) with a 919 total and
Georgia Southwestern (322) with a 938 total.
Limestone finished 10th after a 310 on Tuesday with a 940 total.
Queens (322) and Savannah State (308) tied for 11th with 962 totals
to round out the team scoring.
The individual title had no such drama as All-American Brent
Witcher of Valdosta State saved his best for last, scorching a
tournament-best 68 on the final day to win going away. Witcher
finished the tournament with a nine-under-par 207 total, seven
strokes ahead of his closest competitor, Daniel Stanley of
Newberry. Stanley carded a 70 on Tuesday to finish with a
two-under-par 214 total. Wolfe's eagle on hole No. 18 gave him an
even-par 72 and kept him tied for third individually with an
even-par 216 total, with GCSU's Niclas Johansson, who shot a
third-round 74. UNC Pembroke's Jordan Walor rounded out the
individual top five, coming in with a two-over-par 218 total after
a 71 on Tuesday.
Sophomore Parker Gordon shot a 78 on Tuesday and finished tied for
11th with a nine-over-par 225 total for the host Pirates, his best
finish as a collegian for AASU. Freshman Matthew Motes shot a 74
and finished tied for 15th with a 227 total, while Smith's eagle on
18 gave him a final-round 74 and tied him for 22nd with a 231
total. Jon Wingate rounded out the Pirates' scoring after a
final-round 78, finishing 31st with a 233 total.