The final day of play for the Ball State men’s golf team resulted in seventh place of 16 teams at the Memphis Intercollegiate. Ball State finished the tournament with a final score of 308 while enduring the undesirable weather conditions with temperatures in the 40s.
It was an excessively long day for Ball State and its fellow 15 competitors. While finishing up, the final holes after Monday evening’s round were suspended for darkness. The weather was another factor at Colonial Country Club’s South Course and was not as unpleasant as Monday.
The Cardinals swung their way into a tie for third heading into the final round. The team slipped in the leader board as the final round unfolded. Ball State finished all three rounds with a top 10 spot and a 54-hole total of 922 with scores in each round of 309-305-308.
“We just never really got anything going,” coach Mike Fleck said. “This definitely gives us something to work on the next few weeks.”
Austin Peay won the event with the first place with a score of 897, Louisiana-Lafayette took runner-up with a score of 899 and Memphis, the host of the tournament, finished third with a final score of 906.
Austin Peay was also awarded the individual medalist to its player Dustin Korte. Korte, who held the first place slot throughout round 1, completed the two-day play with 2-over par 218 to win by three strokes.
Individually, the Cardinals were fiercely close in final scores. Alex Stinson finished with the best final round Tuesday ending with a 1-over par 73 and a total score of 232 (79-80-73). Landing with the same total score of 232 for Ball State was McCormick Clouser with all around scores of 74-79-79, and tied with Stinson for 37th place in the competition.
Likewise to Clouser, Joe Gasser and Tyler Merkel carded their final rounds with 79s. Gasser achieved Ball State’s top placement in the tournament and was caught in a tie for 24th with scores at 229 (75-75-79). Gassers’ leading placement for the Cardinals was followed closely by teammate Merkel, tied for 29th at 231 (81-71-79).
Ball State’s second-best score in the third round with a 77 was played by Tony Lazzara, who ended all three rounds with a total of 251 (91-83-77).
The team will have a week off before it competes again. The next tournament will be the Jim West Intercollegiate at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, beginning on April 8.
