USCB won The Sun Conference title and will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship tournament.
USC Beaufort Takes Home Conference Crown
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.— The Sun Conference Tournament was filled with excitement on the final day of competition. The quality of teams in the conference was on display as the team leader boards shuffled all day.
When the dust settled it was South Carolina Beaufort that hoisted the team trophy with a three round total of 287-300-286=873. After the second round of play the Sand Sharks found themselves nine shots back, but they were able to overcome that deficit and defeat St. Thomas by three strokes. USCB saw three of their five golfers go under par in the final round with Jon Pannone and Luke McClellan shooting 70’s and George Thacker sank putt after putt to score a 71.
“We had good solid first round but the weather delay killed our momentum,” said USCB Head Coach Chris Cuneo “We started the third round strong and it woke them up.” Cueno gushed when referring to his team. “With this group, good golf is contagious.”
The talk around the course all week was that patience was the key. Cuneo continued, “I told them when you have a green light shot be aggressive and go for it, but if Pete Dye put something in your way, you have to be smart. “I kept telling them to live with the result, don’t pout about it, good things will happen and they did.”
After the second round of play, St Thomas junior golfer Estaban Aristizabal lead the field by three shots and looked as cool as the other side of the pillow as he tamed the Pete Dye beast that troubled so many golfers. “The team has been bonding phenomenally in the past few months,” said Aristizabal. “It relaxes you knowing that people have your back.” “Everyone was loose and having a good time, so I did the same.”
Aristizabal went under par all three rounds, the only golfer to do so, winning the individual title by an astounding nine shots.
“Staring the tournament I felt pretty good, but I hit the ball solid and the putts fell, I couldn’t have asked for anything better” remarked the Sun Conference champ. When asked what he learned about the course that other golfers didn’t, he answered patience. “I took the course piece by piece and shot by shot.”
Aristizabal was in position last year to watch a teammate, Omar Tejeira, win the title, but this year he was able to claim top honors. “Obviously it was great that he won last year, it got me pumped knowing I could do it.”
Aristizbal lead the tournament or was second in numerous statistical catergories. He was first in birdies made (14), first in par four scoring (-2) first in par five scoring (-7) and second in par three scoring (-2). He dominated the field with out carding a single eagle.
St. Thomas (289-289-299=877), Johnson & Wales (294-293-292=879), Southeastern (301-295-287=883) and SCAD Savannah (286-295-303=884) rounded out the top five.
With their win, USCB receives an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship tournament that will be held May 24-27 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill.
Player of the Year:
Estaban Aristizabal (St. Thomas)
Champion of Character:
Matt Jenkinson (Southeastern)
Coach of the Year:
Alex Fernandez (St. Thomas)
All-Conference Team:
Estaban Aristizabal (St. Thomas)
Elrick Von Eck (Northwood)
Jon Pannone (USCB)
Drew Matthews (Southeastern)
Chris Burke (Southeastern)
Sean Metcalf (SCAD Savannah)
Isaac Spencer (Southeastern)
Chris Hawley (Johnson & Wales)
Jason Harris (Johnson & Wales)
Brett McCurdy (Northwood)