Bellarmine Men's Golf Qualifies for National Finals
BU returns to finals for first time since 1991
by John Spugnardi, BU Sports Information
DUNCAN, Okla.--The Bellarmine University men's golf team qualified for the NCAA Championship Finals by firing a 300 in the high winds to record the low round of the day and finish in fourth place at the NCAA Midwest/South Central Regional Championship at The Territory Golf & Country Club.
The top five teams and top two indivuals not on one of those teams advance to the NCAA finals to be played May 18-21 at The Sagamore Club in Noblesville, Ind. Bellarmine's trip to the national finals will be the first for the Knights since 1991.
The Knights pulled off the come from behind feat, largely thanks to the personal comeback of senior Doug Wilkinson, who shrugged off two bad opening rounds to fire a final round 1-under-par 71 to lead the Knights. Wilkinson was the only player in the 108-player field to break par in the final round.
Brooks Herrick, another Bellarmine senior, continued his consistent play and finished the tournament as the low Bellarmine player, tying for seventh with a 223 (72, 75, 76) total. Other Bellarmine competitors were Bryan Ratterman and Adam Mallory, who tied for 25th with 228 totals, and David Shearn posted rounds of 79, 83 and 76 in his first tournament since breaking his arm over the winter.
Central Missouri came back to clip Wayne State by one shot for the team title with a 904 total. Ferris State got thrid with 908, with Bellarmine another shot back. The host school, Cameron University, claimed the final spot at the finals with a 910 total.
Justin Yoder of Central Missouri won medalist honors with a 3-over total of 219. Individuals making it to the finals were Cyril Bouniol of Abilene Christian and Seth Fair of the University of Indianapolis.
COMPLETE RESULTS