Braves Finish Fourth, Earn Berth Into NCAA National Championship Round
CONOVER – All-Americans Jonathan McCurry and Jordan Walor each turned in below-par performances in Wednesday's final round to lead the UNCP men's golf team to a fourth place finish at the NCAA South/Southeast Super Regional and the program's first-ever berth into the NCAA Division II National Championships next week.
The Braves will be joined by two other Peach Belt Conference teams, as well as one individual, on the big stage as well. No. 21 Georgia College captured the Super Regional title with a late push that edged No. 2 Barry by a single stroke, while No. 14 USC Aiken clinched fifth place on the back nine as well. Georgia Southwestern's J.P. Griffin will join the celebration as well by virtue of a second place finish on the individual leaderboard. Barry and top-ranked Nova Southeastern will continue further into the postseason as well.
The top-five teams and the top-two student-athletes not with an advancing team earned a berth into the finals as part of the 2012 Division II Spring Championships Festival. The Festival will be hosted by Bellarmine and the Louisville Sports Commission.The national championships will be held, May 15-19, at The Cardinal Club in Simpsonville, Ky.
Walor (70-71-71/212) offset a bogey on the par-4 sixth with birdies on both the eighth and 18th holes en route to 1-under-par 71 and a tie for fifth on the final individual leaderboard – just two strokes off the pace set by USC Aiken's Matt Atkins (-6). McCurry (74-76-70/220) booked 16 pars and a pair of birdies to jump 30 spots on the individual leaderboard and into a tie for 18th, while Carson Lanier (74-72-77/223) and Michael Mullmann (78-69-76/223) both finished in a tie for 38th place. Scott Lambert (78-77-75/230) turned in his best round of the week with a 75 on Wednesday to climb five spots into a share of 82nd place.
TEAM SCORES
1.No. 21 Georgia College 291-289-289/869 +5
2. No. 2 Barry 295-289-286/870 +6
3. No. 1 Nova Southeastern 298-297-277/872 +8
4. No. 4 UNC Pembroke 296-288-292/876 +12
5. No. 14 USC Aiken 294-290-296/880 +16
6. Florida Tech 286-295-300/ 881 +17
7. No. 6 North Alabama 298-293-292/883 +19
8. No. 18 Georgia Southwestern 298-302-285/885 +21
9. No. 5 Lynn 288-298-300/886 +22
10. No. 15 Florida Southern 297-293-298/888 +24
11. No. 22 Rollins 291-301-297/889 +25
T12. No. 17 Armstrong Atlantic 297-295-298/890 +26
T12. No. 25 Barton 290-300-300/890 +26
14. No. 8 West Florida 298-293-300/891 +27
15. No. 24 Carson-Newman 296-304-292/892 +28
16. Eckerd 295-295-305/895 +31
17. No. 16 Wingate 299-307-292/898 +34
18. Coker 301-297-303/901 +37
19. Columbus State 301-297-304/902 +38
20. Valdosta State 309-307-305/921 +57
UNCP SCORES
T5. Jordan Walor 70-71-71/212 -4
T19. Jonathan McCurry 74-76-70/220 +4
T38. Carson Lanier 74-72-77/223 +7
T38. Michael Mullmann 78-69-76/223 +7
T82. Scott Lambert 78-77-75/230 +14
OTHER PBC INDIVIDUAL SCORES
T2. J.P. Griffin (GSW) 68-72-71/211 -5
T15. Greg Mergel (FC) 72-73-74/219 +3
