Final Results
HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. – The Valdosta State Blazer men's golf team completed the 2019 NCAA South/Southeast Regional with its best score of the tournament, firing a final round 297 Saturday as it finished tied for 12
th in the regional.
"Despite our position going into today's round, they guys never gave up," VSU head coach
Jared Purvis said. "They put together one of the best rounds of the day to move past several teams."
Lynn won the 20-team regional with a 4-under 284 on Saturday and a 54-hole score of 869. West Florida finished second at 878, while Barry moved up two spots to finish third at 883. Florida Southern was fourth (894), followed by a tie for fifth between South Carolina Aiken and Lincoln Memorial (895). Saint Leo finished seventh with a 901 score.
Both USCA and Saint Leo moved into the top seven on the final day to qualify for the NCAA Division II National Championship at the Resort at Glades Springs in Daniels, West Virginia, May 20-24. The top seven finishing teams advance, along with the top two individuals from non-qualifying teams.
Late in the round on Saturday, there was a weather delay, which lasted 96 minutes as Giovanni Mazoni of Lynn and Sam Bradhurst of Lincoln Memorial tied for the championship at 3-under 213. Manzoni was crowned medalist in a playoff. Nova Southeastern's Juan Jose Guerra qualified individually for the national championship as he finished tied for third with Georgia Southwestern individual Vincent Norman at 2-under 214 who also advanced. Also finishing tied for third, was Barry's Jorge Garcia as the No. 1 golfer in Division II according to Golfstat.
The Blazers started the day 17
th and finished with a 297 after opening with rounds of 313 and 301. VSU edged Rollins by two strokes, Nova Southeastern by five and Clayton State by seven. VSU freshman
Brock Healy finished tied for 28
th in his first regional with a final round 74 and a 54-hole score of 225 on the par 72, 6,960-yard Mission Inn Resort & Club El Campeon course.
VSU senior
Matt Anderson fired the low round of the day for the Blazers with an even par 72 as he finished tied for 39
th in his final collegiate tournament for a 227 score (80-75-72), while freshman
Davis Smith finished tied for 46
th with a 228 score (77-75-76) as the only Blazer to shoot all three rounds in the 70s. Freshman
Gage Smith tied for 66
th with a 231 (76-80-75) and sophomore
Wesley Hanson finished 100
th with a 242 score on rounds of 81, 82 and 79.
VSU returns four of the five players from the regional qualifying team for 2019-20. Anderson caps an outstanding career for the Blazers as he finished as a three-time all-conference selection and participated in three regionals, two as an individual and one with the team.
