Sophomore Chase Cole places second overall in individual standings
Knowing it would take a monster final day to steal a national championship away from Vincennes (Ind.) University, the Georgia Northwestern Bobcats gave it all they had this past Friday.
Ultimately, it just wasn’t enough.
The Bobcats, 21 shots back in third place to start the day, were the only team in the field to break 300 on the tournament’s final day and were the only team in the field to break 300 twice during the 2016 NJCAA Division III Men’s National Championships at the Chautauqua (N.Y.) Golf club.
However, their final round of 294 still left them 15 shots short of Vincennes, who turned in an even 300 to claim the title.
Vincennes finished with a four-day total of 1,198 — one stroke bet- ter than region rival Cincinnati State’s winning score of 1,199 a year ago. The Bobcats’ total of 1,213 was a sixshot improvement from last year, when they placed third. Friday’s 294 also allowed the Bobcats to leapfrog Minnesota State, who dropped up third after a 301 in the final round gave them a total of 1,219 for the week.
Host Jamestown (N.Y.) shot 311 on Friday to place fourth (1,247), while Madison (Wisc.) finished up with a 308 to take fifth (1,260).
“It just comes down to the fact that Tues- day and Wednesday in the wind and rain just killed us,” explained head coach Jared Willerson, whose team shot 306 in the opening round, but carded a 316 in cold, windy and at times brutal conditions in the second round. “That and just a couple of bad holes. It was just one of those weeks. You have to play well the weather’s at its worse and we didn’t do that.
“Still, we were the only school to break 300 twice (the Bobcats had a 298 in Round 3) and we finished with two
learned a lot by winning it all last June.
“I think what helped me most was just staying in the moment,” he added. “There were a couple of times when I had to be thinking about making birdies, but for the most part, it was just focusing one shot at a time and letting the chips fall where they may.”
The other three players in the final group never recovered from their tough start on Sunday. Bailey finished up with a 76, followed by Weldon with a 78 and Keen with an 82.
Cannington and Johnson would go to a playoff for second place, which Cannington won with a birdie on the very first hole.
“I got a little boost of confidence in the beginning (of the round),” Cannington explained. “I birdied the first hole, made a couple of pars and picked up an eagle at No. 4. Then I snaked one in on No. 5 for a birdie and ended up shooting a smooth little 30 on the front so that helped a lot.
“It was a little tough coming in. I knew there were some guys I had to chase. It was hot out there, but it was a fun day.”
Rising LaFayette junior Gage Smith had rounds of 68 and 71 to place fourth overall in the championship flight, while another two-time winner, Josh Jackson, shot 68 and 72 to end up fifth.
Rob Van Gorder took the win in the first flight with rounds of 73 and 70. He won on a scorecard playoff against Bo Abney, who had rounds of 74 and 69.
Second flight honors went to Byron Reed (78-73), who beat Luke Potts (78-73) in a scorecard playoff. William Fielder (83-78) won the third flight by two shots over Chris Baker (84-79) and Harold Lawrence (88-82) earn first place in the fourth flight by one stroke over Bryan Ismand (89-82).