UNF Ospreys Grind Out Team and Medalist Titles at ASun Men's Golf Championship
BRASELTON, GA. - No. 26-ranked North Florida survived the marathon Tuesday at the 2015 Atlantic Sun Men's Golf Championship to take home the program's fourth conference title and third in the last four years.
UNF junior Austin Padova birdied No. 18 to capture the medalist honors at three-under par, 207, one stroke ahead of Kennesaw State's Jimmy Beck and Lipscomb's Dawson Armstrong.
Taylor Hancock joined Padova in the top-five to earn All-Tournament honors as the junior from Clearwater, Fla. fired rounds of 70-68 in the final 36 holes to earn fourth place.
As a team, North Florida finished the 54-hole event at the Legends Course of Chateau Elan with a total of 849 including registering a final round 277 to set the program's A-Sun Championship 18-hole record.
"Great day for the guys and we battled until the very end," said UNF head coach Scott Schroeder. "We gave away a bunch of shots over the first 40 holes or so but then were able to finish strong. Shooting under par in the final round this afternoon was very impressive. We are excited for Austin to get his second career win. He has been close for awhile so this was really great for him. I thought everybody stepped up at some point and it was truly a team effort. It was pretty cool to see the guys come back and overcome a deficit to get the victory. We are now focused on getting prepared for NCAA Regional play."
In addition to Padova and Hancock's strong finishes, redshirt freshman Dillon Woods finished tied for 7th at 214 including rounds of 72-70 on Tuesday, and senior Parker Jones was 13th at 219 (72-73). Senior Joey Petronio had to withdraw midway through the second with a tight back, but got treatment and carded a final round 1-over 71 to help the Ospreys secure the championship.
No. 24-ranked Kennesaw State captured runner-up honors seven strokes behind the Ospreys led by Beck and his final round 68. The senior from Columbus, Ga. added scores of 71 and 69 for his first career A-Sun Championship top-five performance. The Owls took an eight-stroke lead into the final round after setting the program's A-Sun Championship record with a 277 in the second round.
Lipscomb posted its best-ever finish at the A-Sun Championship and also its two-best individual performances as Armstrong tied for runner-up and Eric Ansett landed in fifth after a final round 68 to propel the Bisons into third place. The final round team total of 284 set the program A-Sun record, which Lipscomb recorded in their opening rounds.
The best round of the A-Sun Championship came from USC Upstate as Ryan Cornfield blistered the course for a 66; tied for the second-lowest final round score in conference history. Cornfield led the Spartans to fourth place; the program's top performance at the conference tournament.
FGCU took home fifth place led by Keaton Jones in 14th, while Jacksonville's Raul Pereda tied for seventh with UNF's Dillon Woods to help the Dolphins to sixth as a team. Stetson and Northern Kentucky rounded out the championship field.
North Florida locks up a spot in NCAA Regional play with the conference championship title, while Kennesaw State is a guarantee to earn an at-large spot as the Owls sit ranked in the top-25. The sites for the NCAA Regionals will be announced at 10 a.m. on May 4th on the Golf Channel.
Taylor Hancock joined Padova in the top-five to earn All-Tournament honors as the junior from Clearwater, Fla. fired rounds of 70-68 in the final 36 holes to earn fourth place.
As a team, North Florida finished the 54-hole event at the Legends Course of Chateau Elan with a total of 849 including registering a final round 277 to set the program's A-Sun Championship 18-hole record.
"Great day for the guys and we battled until the very end," said UNF head coach Scott Schroeder. "We gave away a bunch of shots over the first 40 holes or so but then were able to finish strong. Shooting under par in the final round this afternoon was very impressive. We are excited for Austin to get his second career win. He has been close for awhile so this was really great for him. I thought everybody stepped up at some point and it was truly a team effort. It was pretty cool to see the guys come back and overcome a deficit to get the victory. We are now focused on getting prepared for NCAA Regional play."
In addition to Padova and Hancock's strong finishes, redshirt freshman Dillon Woods finished tied for 7th at 214 including rounds of 72-70 on Tuesday, and senior Parker Jones was 13th at 219 (72-73). Senior Joey Petronio had to withdraw midway through the second with a tight back, but got treatment and carded a final round 1-over 71 to help the Ospreys secure the championship.
No. 24-ranked Kennesaw State captured runner-up honors seven strokes behind the Ospreys led by Beck and his final round 68. The senior from Columbus, Ga. added scores of 71 and 69 for his first career A-Sun Championship top-five performance. The Owls took an eight-stroke lead into the final round after setting the program's A-Sun Championship record with a 277 in the second round.
Lipscomb posted its best-ever finish at the A-Sun Championship and also its two-best individual performances as Armstrong tied for runner-up and Eric Ansett landed in fifth after a final round 68 to propel the Bisons into third place. The final round team total of 284 set the program A-Sun record, which Lipscomb recorded in their opening rounds.
The best round of the A-Sun Championship came from USC Upstate as Ryan Cornfield blistered the course for a 66; tied for the second-lowest final round score in conference history. Cornfield led the Spartans to fourth place; the program's top performance at the conference tournament.
FGCU took home fifth place led by Keaton Jones in 14th, while Jacksonville's Raul Pereda tied for seventh with UNF's Dillon Woods to help the Dolphins to sixth as a team. Stetson and Northern Kentucky rounded out the championship field.
North Florida locks up a spot in NCAA Regional play with the conference championship title, while Kennesaw State is a guarantee to earn an at-large spot as the Owls sit ranked in the top-25. The sites for the NCAA Regionals will be announced at 10 a.m. on May 4th on the Golf Channel.
