Sand Sharks Win Second Straight Men’s Golf Title
Donnie Smith
Round 3 Scores
DADE CITY, Fla.—The defending champions held off a late surge from the No. 1 team in the country to come away with the 2019 Sun Conference Men’s Golf title.
USCB posted a team score of -2 in the third round and finished the 54-hole tournament with a team score of three-over (867).
The Sand Sharks were led by Bobby Dunphy, who matched the low round of the week with a 67 in the final round, carding six birdies with three on the back. Dunphy barely missed a seventh on 18, and was tied with Keiser’s Carl Fosaas for medalist honors. Dunphy started the day in a tie for seventh place.
On the Par 5 playoff hole, Fosaas hit a 5-iron from just over 200 yards out to within 10 feet on his second shot, then connected on the eagle putt to claim the individual title. Fosaas became the first freshman medalist in TSC history.
Top ranked Coastal Georgia matched the low team score of the week in the final round with a 285, but came up three shots shy of USCB. Senior Mark David Johnson matched Dunphy’s 67 in the final round to finish with an even par 216 and in sixth place, moving up 15 spots in the third round. Chip Thompson was the team’s top finisher at two under on the week, shooting 73 for the second straight day.
Keiser finished third, two shots back of CCGA, posting an even-par 288 in the final round. Fosaas finished the tournament three-under, with Liam Gransden in fifth place at 215 (73-71-71). Tim Nielsen had the low round on the roster in the third round with a two-under 70.
Thomas bested Johnson & Wales by five shots for fourth place. Cody Booska of JWU finished third, closing with a 74, and finishing the tournament -3. Sam Ledbury paced the Night Hawks tying for seventh with a +1 217 (71-75-71) with Joe Bannan a shot back (69-72-77).
By winning the conference championship, USCB has earned an automatic spot in the NAIA Men’s Golf Championship in Mesa, Ariz. held May 21-24.