Brock Elder(Vandalia Christian School) leads Greensboro College to the Pride’s first golf title in six years in the Pine Needles at Southern Pines

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – Greensboro College’s Brock Elder (Greensboro, NC/Vandalia Christian) won medalist honors and helped The Pride to the Pine Needles Intercollegiate title Tuesday.

Greensboro started Tuesday’s second and final round in third place, six shots behind leader Texas Wesleyan University. Despite snowy conditions over the final half of the round, The Pride shot 292-298-590 as a team and won the 12-team event by eight strokes. Texas Wesleyan (286-312-598) and Wingate University (290-308-598) shared second place.

The team victory ended a six year Pride drought. GC last finished first at the Callaway Collegiate Tournament in Pine Mountain, GA in March, 2004.

“I’m proud of our guys and they are excited with the win,” said Pride Head Coach Dirk Fennie. “The weather started to get bad and our guys toughed it out. That’s great to perform well in adverse conditions.”

Elder, a junior, shot an even-par 71 Tuesday and finished with 143. Teammate Ben Nihart (Winston-Salem, NC/(home school)) shot 73-73-146 and finished in a three-way tie for second place. The Pride’s Josh Nichols (Waxhaw/West Fosyth) shot 73-75-148 to finish sixth.

Texas Wesleyan’s Jorge Ruiz shot 71-75-146 to share second place with Nihart and Wingate’s Scott Caragher (71-75-146). Monday’s first-round leader, Armando Villarrael of Texas Wesleyan, shot 78 Tuesday and placed fifth.

Elder last won medalist honors at the Fall 2008 Ted Keller Invitational.

Pine Needles Intercollegiate
Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club, Southern Pines, NC
Par 71, 7,015 yards

Final Team Standings (36 holes)
1. Greensboro 590, t2. Texas Wesleyan 598, t2. Wingate 598, 4. Guilford 620, 5. Averett 621, t6. Cape Fear Community College 622, t6. Berry (Ga.) 622, 8. Bridgewater 624, 9. Randolph-Macon 634, 10. St. Anselm 655, 11. Wesley no score available, 12. Hampden-Sydney no score available.

Individual Leaders
1. Brock Elder (Greensboro, NC/Vandalia Christian) (Greensboro) 72-71-143
t2. Scott Caragher (Wingate) 71-75-146
t2. Ben Nihart (Winston-Salem, NC/(home school)) (Greensboro) 73-73-146
t2. Jorge Ruiz (Texas Wesleyan) 71-75-146
5. Armando Villarrael (Texas Wesleyan) 69-78-147
6. Josh Nichols (Waxhaw/West Fosyth) (Greensboro) 73-75-148