College Men’s Golf Results – Guilford’s Season Ends with 17th-Place Finish at National Tourney

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Schreiner University holds the lead at two-over-par 578 halfway through the NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championships at the Grandover Resort. The Mountaineers, who led by one shot after an opening-round 285, shot 293 in Wednesday’s second round and hold a four-stroke edge over Oglethorpe University in the 41-team field.

Hampden-Sydney College’s Brian Burt, one of five individuals in the 210-man event, is the individual leader with an eight-under-par 136 after 36 holes. The junior from Holt, Mich., made it around Grandover’s par-72, 7,210-yard East Course on a warm and breezy day with a three-under 69. He holds a one-stroke edge over Southwestern (Texas) University’s Jordan Cowart, Schreiner’s Cheyne Kendall, and the University of the Redlands’ Bobby Holden. The trio shares second place at 132, four shots behind Burt, who carded the day’s low score in both rounds.

After an opening-round 285, the tourney’s low team result, Schreiner maintained its edge Wednesday with a five-over 293 on the par-72, 6,770-yard West Course. Kendall’s second straight 70 led the way and Jimmy Keener contributed a 73, which gives him a share of sixth place at 70-73-143. Zach Oliver and Phillip Stewart both turned in 75 and freshman Matt McClung added a 76.

Oglethorpe shot Wednesday’s low team score with a one-under 287 that vaulted the Stormy Petrels from ninth to second place. Junior Anthony Maccaglia, the 2012 national tournament medalist, trimmed five strokes off his opening–round 75 and climbed into 16th place. Teammate David Kleckner is also part of a three-way tie for 16th place at 145 after his Wednesday round of 73. Hayden Jones jumped from 47th place into 19th by shaving two strokes off his first-round 74. His 74-72-146 is one stroke better than teammate Anthony Amodeo’s 74-73-147 that sits 29th on the leaderboard.

The University of Texas at Tyler carded a 295 and moved up a spot into third place, eight shots behind Schreiner. Transylvania University’s 291 helped the Pioneers climb from 12th into fourth place at 587. The University of La Verne (591) has a one-shot edge over Rhodes College and Methodist College for the fifth spot.

Tournament co-host Guilford College could not overcome a sluggish start and shot 309 Wednesday on the East Course, missing the cut by four strokes. The Quakers shot 294-309-603 and finished 17th. Senior Dallas Page (Reidsville, N.C./Rockingham County (Averett)) shot an even-par 72 to lead Guilford. He had a 36-hole 147, good for a share of 29th place. Freshman Tanner Gross’s (Archdale, N.C./Homeschooled) six-over 78 was the Quakers’ second-best score. He came home in a share of 70th place at 73-78-151.

Six individuals whose teams did not advance to the third round qualified to play the tourney’s remaining 36 holes: Burt, Saint Vincent College’s Timothy Barto, Concordia University’s (Texas) Jack Cersosimo, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s Pablo Mena Medrano, Endicott College’s Austin Teal, and Webster University’s Tyler Thorman.

Guilford College and the Greensboro Sports Commission serve as co-hosts of this year’s national championship, which is being held at Grandover for the second time in four years. UT-Tyler is the defending tournament champion after defeating Transylvania by seven shots for the 2013 championship in Destin, Fla. Grandover will also host the championships in 2015 and 2018.