FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2008 |
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OGLETHORPE COMEBACK WINS TUNICA NATIONAL
The Stormy Petrels fired a school record (for a par 72 course) seven under par 281 to come from 4 strokes back to win the 3rd Annual Rhodes College Fall Invitational at Tunica National near Memphis.
The Petrels trailed by four strokes to Huntingdon College and a group of their own teammates from a second team assembled by Petrel Head Coach Jim Owen. Huntingdon and the Stormy Petrel “2nd Team” fired opening round six over par 294’s to share the 1st Round lead. The “A” team found itself in fifth place with a ten over par 298 on the scoreboard.
Freshman Craig Stevenson from Sarasota, FL held the overall first round lead after an opening round 1 under par 70 in his first collegiate event. Stevenson’s 70, and rounds of 72 by Junior David Dilibero and a 73 by Senior Hap Kaufold gave the “second team” a trio of scores in the Top 12 after day one. Freshman Jordan Hall added a 79 for the 294 total.
The Petrel “A” team did not play as well on the 7,050 yard Par 72 Tunica National golf course in round one. Sophomore Olafur Loftsson, a member of the Icelandic National team, and a transfer from Reykjavik University made his Oglethorpe debut and opened with a 73. He was followed by Sophomore Matt Rebitch with a 74, Junior Scott Pugh 75 and Freshmen Colin Chapman at 76 and Matt Bernstein with 77.
On day two the “A” Team got the message sent by the second team and got off to a very fast start. They had begun the day in a disappointing 5th position but quickly raced out into red (under par) numbers. By the end of the first nine holes of the final round, their team had begun to make a move as the top four scores were a combined five under par. As the team moved midway into their back nine they stretched out to a stunning 11 under par as a team. Loftsson, Pugh and Rebitch were all 3 under par and freshman Matt Bernstein went from +1 over through eight holes to two under after thirteen holes. Bernstein birdied three of his first five holes on the backside to bring the team total to the remarkable eleven under par.
The team dropped four strokes over their collective last four holes but the win was secure. Huntingdon College shot an even par 288 team score for a two day total of 294-288=582. Despite trailing by four, Oglethorpe’s closing seven under par 281 gave the team a 298-281=579 and a three stroke victory.
Texas Lutheran’s Jeff Rein was the tournament low medalist at 4 under 71-69 = 140, Rhodes College’s Bill Bazzell was runner up with 71-70 = 141. Oglethorpe “B” Craig Stevenson 70-72 = 142 and Oglethorpe “A” Olafur Loftsson 73–69 = 142 tied for third and earned All Tournament honors. Oglethorpe totaled a record 5 players in the top nine spots. Senior Hap Kaufold “B” 72-73-145, Sophomore Matt Rebitch “A” 74-71=145, and Junior Scott Pugh “A” 75-70=145 all tied for 7th. Junior David Dilibero 73-73=146 finished 14th and Freshman Matt Bernstein 77-71=148,18th, gave the two OU teams eight of our ten players on the trip in the Top 20.
Oglethorpe travels to the Champions Course Bryan Park in Greensboro, North Carolina for the Greensboro College Invitational. This will be Oglethorpe’s 15th consecutive appearance in the Greensboro Fall event. Bryan Park will host the 2010 US Public Links Championship on the Bryan Park “Champions” Course.
Oglethorpe finished 3rd at last year’s Greensboro event behind Methodist and Guilford. The Petrels best finish is 2nd place three different times.
Oglethorpe will depart Saturday afternoon and practice on Sunday, September 28th and the tournament is the 29th and 30th.
For complete results, visit the Golfstat site here
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