M. Golf
Four-Team Race Goes to Florida Tech; Gard is Medalist for the Mocs
Case Gard is the fourth different Moccasin to win the Matlock Collegiate Classic.LAKELAND – In the closest Matlock Collegiate Classic in tournament history, Florida Tech had just enough fire power for a 1-stroke win over not just one team, but three teams, including host Florida Southern. The Moccasins did earn one win, however, as junior Case Gard also won the individual title by a single stroke, and put his name on an impressive list of Florida Southern golfers in the process.
Florida Tech had started Tuesday’s final round in a tie for first with 2nd-ranked Barry University, only the third time in the tournament’s 31-year history two teams shared the lead at the end of the second round. Three other teams were within five shots of the lead, and at the end of the day, all of them were in the running for the title. It created a tense scene at the scoreboard as the cards came in, and the Panthers could only celebrate after seeing the final scores posted for Florida Southern.
By that point, Florida Tech already knew it had edged Barry by one stroke, and the top-ranked team in Division II, Lynn University, also came up one stroke short. The Panthers had to count a 78 from Colin Flabbi, and their top golfer, Christian Westhorpe had to double-check his card to confirm a 71. It was enough though to give Florida Tech it’s first tournament win since 2006.
Lynn and Florida Southern, who had been tied with St. Edward’s (TX) for second place after round two, and trailing the co-leaders by five strokes, nearly made up the difference as both teams shot a 291 on Tuesday. It was the best score of the day, but still left them one behind Florida Tech, and in a 3-way tie for second with Barry. It was the first time four teams had ever finished within one stroke of the lead.
The 1984 Matlock Classic (under a different name at the time) saw three teams within one stroke at the end. That year, the University of Florida edged out both Wake Forest and North Carolina for the tournament title.
It was the second time in the last three years, however, that the winner came out on top by that margin, with Georgia College slipping past Florida Southern in 2010.
The 25th-ranked Moccasins had a chance to win this one too behind Gard, a junior college transfer, but a Lakeland native who played at George Jenkins High School. Gard began the day trailing Barry’s Marcus Segerstrom by one shot, with Segerstrom at -8. Segerstrom fell behind though after three bogeys on the back nine. Gard was able to take control with three birdies over the same stretch, including both par-five’s on the back nine. He was -9 for the tournament on Lone Palm’s four par-fives.
A bogey on Gard’s 17th hole of the day left the door open for another Barry player, Scott Smyers, but the two contenders, playing in different groups, went in different directions on their final hole. With a shotgun start, Gard finished his round on the par-3 #4, while Smyers finished on the par-4 #18. Smyers ended up with a six on that hole, while Gard played #4 in three shots, giving him a final-round 72, a final score of seven-under par 209, and a 1-stroke victory.
Segerstrom finished in a tie for third with Lynn’s Marcelo Rozo at -4, while Florida Tech’s Westhorpe was fifth at -3.
Gard is only the fourth different Moccasin to win the Matlock Collegiate Classic, with Jeff Klauk winning it in 2000, Steve Sokol winning it in 2001 and 2002, and Greg Koch the champion in 2004 and 2006.
Gard’s winning score of seven-under par is also the third best ever shot by a Moccasin in the Matlock Classic. Klauk set the tournament record in 2000 with a -12, Darron Stiles had a -9 in a third-place finish in 1995, and Rocco Mediate also shot a -7 as a runner-up in 1984.
Tim Crouch was Florida Southern’s second finisher in the tournament with a score of 222 (+6), putting him in a tie for 23rd with teammate Shane Convery. Lee White was tied for 39th with a 225, and Peter Creighton was tied for 46th with a 228.
White had the Mocs’ best round on Tuesday with a two-under par 70, and after not being among the four counters in the first two rounds, he helped put Florida Southern in position to win on Tuesday.
Florida Southern’s next tournament will be February 27 and 28 at the University of New Orleans Invitational.
FINAL RESULTS Matlock Collegiate Classic
Lone Palm G. C. Lakeland, FL
Dates: 02/13 - 02/14 (Today:02-14-2012)
Par: 72
Yardage: 7065
Fin. School Scores
1 Florida Tech 286 290 295 871 +7
2 Lynn University 297 284 291 872 +8
Florida Southern Col 289 292 291 872 +8
Barry University 289 287 296 872 +8
5 St. Edward's U. 295 286 295 876 +12
6 Armstrong Atlantic 292 298 289 879 +15
7 Newberry College 294 292 297 883 +19
8 West Florida, U. of 289 294 301 884 +20
9 Rollins College 295 295 297 887 +23
10 Columbus State 292 296 302 890 +26
11 Valdosta St. U. 303 292 296 891 +27
12 Georgia College 295 293 307 895 +31
13 Eckerd College 301 298 299 898 +34
14 West Georgia, U. of 307 305 297 909 +45
15 Lander University 303 300 313 916 +52
Fin. School Scores
1 Florida Tech 286 290 295 871
5 Christian Westhorpe 68 74 71 213
T 11 Patrick Sheedy 72 73 72 217
44 Colin Flabbi 74 74 78 226
T 46 Ray Badenhorst 77 69 82 228
T 59 Brandon Lau 72 85 74 231
T 2 Lynn University 297 284 291 872
T 3 Marcelo Rozo 74 68 70 212
T 14 Paul McPhee 74 71 74 219
T 16 Roberto Francioni 74 73 73 220
T 23 Daniel Young 75 73 74 222
T 36 Ernesto Vitienes 75 72 77 224
T 2 Florida Southern Col 289 292 291 872
1 Case Gard 67 70 72 209
T 23 Tim Crouch 73 70 79 222
T 23 Shane Convery 73 76 73 222
T 39 Lee White 77 78 70 225
T 46 Peter Creighton 76 76 76 228
T 2 Barry University 289 287 296 872
2 Scott Smyers 70 71 69 210
T 3 Marcus Segerstrom 69 67 76 212
T 23 Daniel Stapff 74 75 73 222
T 53 Simon Forsslund 76 75 78 229
T 70 Roberto Cacho 80 74 80 234
5 St. Edward's U. 295 286 295 876
T 14 Santiago Quintero 76 72 71 219
T 16 Luke Kwon 71 73 76 220
T 23 Enrique Livas 77 71 74 222
T 36 Jose A. Hernandez 80 70 74 224
T 55 Logan Boatner 71 74 85 230
6 Armstrong Atlantic 292 298 289 879
6 Matt Motes 69 75 70 214
T 11 Travis Williamson 69 74 74 217
T 23 Taylor Gove 72 78 72 222
T 61 Jacob Tilton 82 75 75 232
T 61 Tyler Erickson 85 74 73 232
7 Newberry College 294 292 297 883
T 8 Jon Weiss 71 70 75 216
T 16 Matthew Killen 74 76 70 220
T 39 Matthew Campbell 77 71 77 225
T 39 Chandler Gruenmeier 72 76 77 225
T 46 Tommy Hurst 78 75 75 228
8 West Florida, U. of 289 294 301 884
13 Carlos Rodriguez 72 73 73 218
T 21 T. Guste-Pedersen 69 77 75 221
T 23 Robbie Van Riper 74 69 79 222
T 36 Ryan Black 74 76 74 224
T 68 Adam Whipp 74 76 83 233
9 Rollins College 295 295 297 887
T 16 Tyler Sluman 71 74 75 220
T 31 Hunter Stone 73 79 71 223
T 46 Scott Lamb 83 73 72 228
T 46 Davis Hall 75 74 79 228
T 55 Spencer Cole 76 74 80 230
10 Columbus State 292 296 302 890
7 Rourke Van der Spuy 67 75 73 215
T 31 Steven Paine 76 72 75 223
T 39 Justin Grice 74 72 79 225
T 61 Stephen Swanepoel 80 77 75 232
T 61 Johan Swanepoel 75 78 79 232
11 Valdosta St. U. 303 292 296 891
T 8 Michael Rafalowicz 72 73 71 216
T 16 Nate Anderson 75 71 74 220
T 31 Clarke Hendrick 77 73 73 223
T 61 Austin Graham 79 75 78 232
74 Michael Nutter 79 79 81 239
12 Georgia College 295 293 307 895
T 23 David Sullivan 74 70 78 222
T 31 Patrick Garrett 72 73 78 223
T 31 Taylor Smith 75 73 75 223
T 46 Victor Monte 74 77 77 228
72 Ryan Trocchio 80 80 77 237
13 Eckerd College 301 298 299 898
T 8 Callum Georgallides 71 75 70 216
45 Paul Henderson 78 71 78 227
T 46 Curtis Lahey 77 76 75 228
T 55 Greg Reilly 78 76 76 230
T 61 Jeff Evanier 75 78 79 232
14 West Georgia, U. of 307 305 297 909
T 21 Bryn Powers 75 73 73 221
T 53 Eric Alvarez 78 79 72 229
T 59 Kevin Clarke 78 76 77 231
T 68 Jack Wall, Jr. 76 82 75 233
T 70 Dan Merriman 78 77 79 234
15 Lander University 303 300 313 916
T 39 Chad Siefert 71 79 75 225
T 55 Oliver Van Nairn 80 75 75 230
T 61 Tanner Robb 79 73 80 232
73 Neal Todd 82 73 83 238
75 Tucker Nelson 73 83 84 240
FINAL RESULTS Matlock Collegiate Classic
Lone Palm G. C. Lakeland, FL
Dates: 02/13 - 02/14 (Today:02-14-2012)
Par: 72
Yardage: 7065
Fin. Name School Scores
1 Case Gard Fl. South 67 70 72 209 -7
2 Scott Smyers Barry U. 70 71 69 210 -6
3 Marcelo Rozo Lynn U. 74 68 70 212 -4
Marcus Segerstrom Barry U. 69 67 76 212 -4
5 Christian Westhorpe FL Tech 68 74 71 213 -3
6 Matt Motes AASU 69 75 70 214 -2
7 Rourke Van der Spuy CSU 67 75 73 215 -1
8 Michael Rafalowicz ValdostaSt 72 73 71 216 E
Callum Georgallides Eckerd 71 75 70 216 E
Jon Weiss Newberry 71 70 75 216 E
11 Travis Williamson AASU 69 74 74 217 +1
Patrick Sheedy FL Tech 72 73 72 217 +1
13 Carlos Rodriguez W. Florida 72 73 73 218 +2
14 Santiago Quintero St.Edwards 76 72 71 219 +3
Paul McPhee Lynn U. 74 71 74 219 +3
16 Luke Kwon St.Edwards 71 73 76 220 +4
Tyler Sluman Rollins 71 74 75 220 +4
Matthew Killen Newberry 74 76 70 220 +4
Nate Anderson ValdostaSt 75 71 74 220 +4
Roberto Francioni Lynn U. 74 73 73 220 +4
21 Bryn Powers W Georgia 75 73 73 221 +5
T. Guste-Pedersen W. Florida 69 77 75 221 +5
23 Taylor Gove AASU 72 78 72 222 +6
Daniel Stapff Barry U. 74 75 73 222 +6
Tim Crouch Fl. South 73 70 79 222 +6
Daniel Young Lynn U. 75 73 74 222 +6
David Sullivan GA College 74 70 78 222 +6
Shane Convery Fl. South 73 76 73 222 +6
Enrique Livas St.Edwards 77 71 74 222 +6
Robbie Van Riper W. Florida 74 69 79 222 +6
31 Patrick Garrett GA College 72 73 78 223 +7
Clarke Hendrick ValdostaSt 77 73 73 223 +7
Taylor Smith GA College 75 73 75 223 +7
Steven Paine CSU 76 72 75 223 +7
Hunter Stone Rollins 73 79 71 223 +7
36 Ryan Black W. Florida 74 76 74 224 +8
Jose A. Hernandez St.Edwards 80 70 74 224 +8
Ernesto Vitienes Lynn U. 75 72 77 224 +8
39 Lee White Fl. South 77 78 70 225 +9
Matthew Campbell Newberry 77 71 77 225 +9
Justin Grice CSU 74 72 79 225 +9
Chandler Gruenmeier Newberry 72 76 77 225 +9
Chad Siefert Lander U. 71 79 75 225 +9
44 Colin Flabbi FL Tech 74 74 78 226 +10
45 Paul Henderson Eckerd 78 71 78 227 +11
46 Scott Lamb Rollins 83 73 72 228 +12
Davis Hall Rollins 75 74 79 228 +12
Ray Badenhorst FL Tech 77 69 82 228 +12
Tommy Hurst Newberry 78 75 75 228 +12
Curtis Lahey Eckerd 77 76 75 228 +12
Peter Creighton Fl. South 76 76 76 228 +12
Victor Monte GA College 74 77 77 228 +12
53 Simon Forsslund Barry U. 76 75 78 229 +13
Eric Alvarez W Georgia 78 79 72 229 +13
55 Spencer Cole Rollins 76 74 80 230 +14
Oliver Van Nairn Lander U. 80 75 75 230 +14
Greg Reilly Eckerd 78 76 76 230 +14
Logan Boatner St.Edwards 71 74 85 230 +14
59 Brandon Lau FL Tech 72 85 74 231 +15
Kevin Clarke W Georgia 78 76 77 231 +15
61 Jeff Evanier Eckerd 75 78 79 232 +16
Tanner Robb Lander U. 79 73 80 232 +16
Jacob Tilton AASU 82 75 75 232 +16
Stephen Swanepoel CSU 80 77 75 232 +16
Tyler Erickson AASU 85 74 73 232 +16
Austin Graham ValdostaSt 79 75 78 232 +16
Johan Swanepoel CSU 75 78 79 232 +16
68 Jack Wall, Jr. W Georgia 76 82 75 233 +17
Adam Whipp W. Florida 74 76 83 233 +17
70 Dan Merriman W Georgia 78 77 79 234 +18
Roberto Cacho Barry U. 80 74 80 234 +18
72 Ryan Trocchio GA College 80 80 77 237 +21
73 Neal Todd Lander U. 82 73 83 238 +22
74 Michael Nutter ValdostaSt 79 79 81 239 +23
75 Tucker Nelson Lander U. 73 83 84 240 +24
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