Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Ping Arizona Intercollegiate
Demon Deacons Finish Fifth In Arizona
2/3/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Feb. 3, 2004
TUCSON, Ariz. - The Wake Forest men's golf team finished fifth in its first tournament of the spring, the PING Arizona Intercollegiate. The two-day, 54-hole event took place on the par 71, 6,793-yard layout at Arizona National Golf Course.
The Demon Deacons, who placed fifth in this same event a year ago, finished even for the tournament at 852. Wake shot an eight-under 276 in the second round, but followed that up with a final-round 293 to move back to even par. Host Arizona won the event with a 28-under 824. New Mexico (-18), Arizona State (-9), Southern Cal (-4) and WFU rounded out the top five team finishers among the 15-team field.
Deacon senior Bill Haas finished in a tie for third place in the individual race, carding an 11-under 202 for the tournament (68-64-70). He finished seven strokes back of medalist Chris Nallen of Arizona and two strokes behind runner-up Michael Putnam of Pepperdine.
Haas' 202 is the third-best tournament score in the WFU record book, while his 11-under ranks as the fourth-best tournament score to par. His second round 64 ties as the fifth-lowest round in school history -- yet it's not even the lowest score he's recorded this season. Haas fired a career-best 63 at the Jerry Pate National back in the fall.
Haas also extends his streak of rounds at par or better. He ended the fall with six straight such rounds, and extends it to nine following this event -- four shy of tying the school record he set himself last season. Another Haas streak did come to an end in Arizona, however. With the final round 70, he halted a stretch of a seven straight rounds in the 60s, a streak which was already a school record at five when he entered this tournament.
Sophomore Kyle Reifers recorded his second top 10 finish of the season by placing sixth. Reifers' nine-under 204 (70-65-69) bettered his previous low by three strokes while his second-round 65 was also a career low. Five of Reifers' last seven rounds have been in the 60s and six of those seven have been under par.
Wake Forest and New Mexico were the only teams to have two top 10 individual finishers.
Deacon freshman Chad Wilcox, playing in his home state, tied for 51st at eight-over for the tournament. Wilcox was even through two rounds (69-73), but recorded a 79 on the final 18 to finish with a 221. His first-round 69 marked the first time he broke 70 as a collegian.
Sophomore Barr Blanton, in just his second collegiate event, tied for 60th at 12-over par. Blanton recorded rounds of 76-74-75 to card a 225. Junior Doug Manchester placed 83rd at 30-over with rounds of 83-77-83.
The Wake Forest men's golf team returns to action next week, traveling to New Orleans to compete in the Tulane Invitational on Feb. 9-10. The Deacons will look to defend their 2003 title, while Haas will also defend his individual medal in the event.
Full results are available on www.golfstatlive.com.
The PING Arizona Intercollegiate
Arizona National Golf Course
par 71 * 6,793 yards
Wake Forest 283-276-293 E 852 5th
Bill Haas 68-64-70 -11 202 t3rd
Kyle Reifers 70-65-69 -9 204 6th
Chad Wilcox 69-73-79 +8 221 t51st
Barr Blanton 76-74-75 +12 225 t60th
Doug Manchester 83-77-83 +30 243 83rd
