Wake Forest Athletics
Men's Golf Finishes 10th At NCAA Championships
6/2/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
The 10th-place finish marked the 24th time in 38 NCAA Championship appearances that Wake Forest has finished 10th or better. It also marks Wake's best NCAA finish since placing second in 1997. Wake Forest, which competed this week with one freshman, three sophomores and a junior, returns every player on its roster next season.
The University of Florida, which was tied with Arizona going into the final round, surged ahead to win the national title with at 26 under par, 18 strokes ahead of second-place Clemson. The Tigers passed Arizona in the closing holes, defeating the Wildcats by one stroke.
Wake Forest was in sixth place with a three-over par when the day began, picking up where it left off in the third round following Friday's rain delay. Several early birdies soon moved the Deacs up to fourth with a two-under par, but the team then struggled on the final holes of the round, losing 11 strokes to finish at nine-over par after three rounds.
Wake Forest entered the final round in eighth place, and lost a little more ground as three players finished the round at least five strokes over par. Sophomore Cortland Lowe posted his best score of the tournament, carding a team-best 69 in the final round.
Junior Jay Morgan posted the team's best overall finish, placing 30th overall with a three-over 291 (76-70-74-71). Sophomore Chris Yoder finished one stroke back, placing 34th with a 292 (74-68-73-77). Sophomore Brent Wanner placed 39th with a six-over 294 (70-72-74-78), Lowe was 46th at one stroke back (75-74-77-69), while freshman Bill Haas placed 66th with a 13-over 301 (75-72-76-78).
Florida's Nick Gilliam captured the NCAA individual crown by a three-stroke margin over his teammate, Camilo Benedetti and Augusta State's Jamie Elson, who tied for second. Gilliam finished the tournament with a 12-under 276 (69-70-66-71).
NCAA Men's Golf Championships
Duke University Golf Course - Durham, N.C.
Wake Forest Results
10th TEAM 294-282-297-295 1168 +16t-30th Jay Morgan 76-70-74-71 291 +3t-34th Chris Yoder 74-68-73-77 292 +4t-39th Brent Wanner 70-72-74-78 294 +6t-46th Cortland Lowe 75-74-77-69 295 +7t-66th Bill Haas 75-72-76-78 301 +13
