GREENSBORO, N.C. – Methodist University captured its unprecedented 12th NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championship Friday at Grandover Resort and Spa. The Monarchs, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, shot 296 in the final round for a seven-over-par total of 1,159 over 72 holes, 11 better than runner-up Washington and Lee University. The win marks Methodist’s first NCAA men’s golf crown since 2015.
Washington and Lee sophomore Brian Peccie won a rainy three-hole playoff with Concordia (Texas) University’s Logan Young to capture medalist honors. Peccie, who started the day with a four-stroke cushion, saw it slip away down the stretch as he finished with a four-over 76 on Grandover’s par-72, 7,150-yard East Course. Young withstood intermittent rain showers to card one of just 13 subpar Friday scores (71, -1). Both shot three-under-par 285 for the tournament.
In the playoff, both students twice parred the 18th hole before shifting to the par-4, 445-yard 10th hole. Young’s first shot missed the fairway, which forced him to scramble right from the start. Peccie put his tee shot neatly in the fairway, left his second shot just off the green, chipped his third shot to within 12 feet, and then drained the putt for the win. Afterward, he received the Golf Coaches Association of America’s Arnold Palmer Award as the Division III Tournament medalist.
Thanks to Thursday’s tournament-best 282 (-6), Methodist started Friday with a 10-stroke edge over Washington and Lee in the 42-team field. The Monarchs were not seriously threatened Friday despite posting their highest round of the tournament. Jared Chinn made consecutive birdies on 11, 12, and 13 en route to a team-best 71 (-1). Dan Shepherd maintained his steady play with a one-over 73, which helped him finish third at 286, one stroke away from joining the playoff. Methodist’s Larkin Gross birdied 18 to finish at 75, two strokes better than teammate Chris Drysdale. Senior Aaron Purviance shot 79 in his final collegiate round. He has the distinction of playing Methodist’s on national championship teams in 2015 and 2018.
Two Texas schools turned in two of Friday’s lowest team scores, which yielded top-four finishes. Sparked by Tyler Uhlig’s even-par 72, the University of Texas at Tyler turned in a 292 for a four-day 1,171, just one shot behind Washington and Lee. In addition to Young’s 71, Concordia got a 71 from Ryan McGinley, which helped the Tornados to a 291 and a four-day total of 1,173.
Otterbein University senior Austin Wells, the tournament’s second-round leader, shot 73 Friday and shared third place with Methodist’s Shepherd. Greensboro College senior Levi Grogan placed fifth at 287.
Tournament co-host and second-round leader Guilford College shot 298 Friday. The Quakers placed fifth for their second top-five national finish in as many years. Sophomore James Mishoe birdied 18 for a two-under 70. He finished in a share of 24th place among individuals at 294. Teammate Josh Hill also birdied 18 in his even-par four of 72. The junior tied for 18th place in the 217-man field with a 295. Zachary Evens and Kell Graham both shot 77 to round out Guilford’s Friday scoring. Evens shared 37th place among individuals at 297, one stroke better than Graham’s four-day 298. Rookie Addison Manring struggled to an 84 and placed 79th individually with a 309.
The 2019 NCAA Division III Championships will be held at Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Transylvania University, which placed 10th this year, will host next year’s event.
Guilford and the Greensboro Sports Commission teamed up to co-host the Division III Men’s Golf Championships at Grandover for the fourth times in the past eight years. The two also hosted the event in 2011, 2014 and 2015.
For more coverage of the NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championships, visit www.NCAA.com. For Jim Schlosser’s NCAA Tournament Notebook, visit www.guilfordquakers.com. For daily video interviews, visit Guilford’s YouTube page at www.youtube.com/GuilfordAthletics.