PETERSBURG, Va. – Valdosta State junior men's golfer Alexander Nilehn finished tied for third at the 2025 Griffin Invitational with a final round 71 as the Blazers finished fifth of 14 teams carding a final round 290 score Tuesday.  VSU finished 13-over for the tournament for an 877 score, while Nilehn finished 5-under for the tournament with a 211 score (70-70-71).  
 
Nilehn had a chance at the lead coming down the stretch, but finished with just his second bogey of the final round on the 53^rd hole.  He had been as much as 3-under for the final round Tuesday, but two bogeys, including one on the 17^thof the round, tied him with Catawba's Illia Antoniadis.  Nilehn finished with 13 birdies for the tournament to tie for the tournament-lead.
 
Eckerd's Reggie Fear and Antoniadis' teammate Paul Esnault tied for medalist honors at 6-under 210.  Esnault won on the first playoff hole, while Fear was the clubhouse leader on Monday heading into the final round.  Mount Olive's Shawn Benson finished fifth with a 4-under 212 score as he carded a final round 69 marking the low-round of the day.  
 
Catawba fired a final round 287 to overtake clubhouse team leader Palm Beach Atlantic to win the tournament by four strokes at 8-under 856.  PBA finished second at 4-under 860, while Belmont Abbey was third at 866 and host Saint Leo was fourth at 871.  Following the Blazers was Eckerd with an 884 score for sixth, while Coker was seventh at 892.  Mount Olive finished eighth at 894, while Chowan was ninth (895) and Wilmington (Del.) rounded out the top ten with an 897 score.  
 
For the Blazers, junior newcomer William Carestam finished with a final round 72 as he moved up eight places to finish tied for 16^th with a 3-over 219 (74-73-72).  Senior Joshua Burki finished tied for 30^th with a 223 score on rounds of 75, 73, 75.  Junior Nick Mueller also fired a final round 72 jumping 19 places to finish tied for 64^th with a 232 score on rounds of 79, 81 and 72.  He tied with teammate and individual freshman Jimmy Cohen who carded rounds of 79, 79 and 74 for a 232 score.  Junior Landon Bassford finished 74^th with a 236 score on rounds of 74, 78 and 84.  
 
The Blazers return home to prepare for the Hurricane Invitational in Albany, Ga., Sept. 22-23 hosted by Georgia Southwestern. 
 
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