Port St Lucie, FL— With four teams ranked in the NAIA Top 25, Johnson and Wales (12), St Thomas (15), Webber (20) and SCAD (24), The Sun Conference golf tournament looked to be a tight hard fought tournament. The first day of the tourney was both longer and shorter than expected. There was a weather delay which halted played for about 2 hours, cutting most players second round short forcing them to finish tomorrow before the final round.
The end of round one saw SCAD firing a combined 286 leading by a single shot over USCB with St Thomas 3 back. SCAD was lead by Sean Metcalf's 65 and he was joined by two other Bees, Tom Hayes and Justin McMillen, in the top 10.
Esteban Aristizabal lead STU shooting an opening 67, two shots back saying “The conditions were the best I've played this year.” He played well all day but is best hole was number 11. “I hit driver and then six iron and made a long putt and that got me going. I would say that was the best hole of the day.”
Reigning conference champion Omar Tejeira fired an opening round 73 but was plagued by trouble with his putter. “I need to keep being patient its just my putts didn't fall today” Tejeira said “I gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities I just couldn't putt.” Tejeira got the day going off on the right foot posting an eagle on the first hole. I three putted a couple times and that takes you out of momentum.“ He again showed selflessness echoing hs sentiment after winning the Bobcat Invitational “Hopefully it works out tomorrow and we shot low to win as a team”
Senior Max Keen is in the top 20 after his card read 74 being the lone senior on the squad this is his last run in The Sun Conference. “It's been great. I couldn't pick a better way to end my senior year.”
The men will finish the second round via shotgun start tomorrow at 8 am before taking on the final round. GO BOBCATS!!!
Fin. Top 20 Teams Scores
1 SCAD Savannah 286
2 So Carolina Beaufort 287
3 St. Thomas Univ. -FL 289
4 Northwood U. FL 291
5 Johnson & Wales U-FL 294
6 Webber International 295
7 Embry-Riddle U. - FL 297
8 Southeastern Univ. 301
Fin. Top 20 Players School Scores
1 Sean Metcalf SCAD Svnah 31- 34 65
2 Elrick Von Eck N'wood FL 33- 33 66
3 Estaban Aristizabal StThomasFL 32- 35 67
4 Jon Pannone SCar-Beauf 35- 34 69
5 Chris Burke SoEastrnU 33- 38 71
Jordan Meltzer JWU-FL 37- 34 71
Jens Johansson Webber Int 33- 38 71
8 Tom Hayes SCAD Svnah 38- 34 72
Luke McClellan SCar-Beauf 37- 35 72
10 Chris Hawley JWU-FL 38- 35 73
George Thacker SCar-Beauf 37- 36 73
Omar Tejeira StThomasFL 39- 34 73
Chris Lane SCar-Beauf 39- 34 73
Justin McMillen SCAD Svnah 36- 37 73
15 Jackson Koert EmbryRidFL 36- 38 74
Scott Cameron N'wood FL 37- 37 74
Don Sciotto EmbryRidFL 38- 36 74
Connor O'Dell Webber Int 38- 36 74
Kevin O'Leary EmbryRidFL 37- 37 74
Max Keen StThomasFL 38- 36 74
Jack Bingham SCar-Beauf 39- 35 74
Isaac Spencer SoEastrnU 37- 37 74
