(Story taken from Oglethorpe's website)
CHESTNUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. - Oglethorpe University
spotted Guilford College four strokes after Monday's first round
only to mount an improbable come-from-behind victory on Tuesday to
win the third annual Oglethorpe Royal Lakes Invitational by a
stroke.
Guilford opened with a two over par 286 and Oglethorpe was at 290
with Rhodes College on their heels at 293 after Round 1.
The Petrels fell further behind on the front nine on Tuesday
morning's second round before mounting an incredible back nine
rally and an improbable come from behind one stroke win. After the
first nine holes of day, Oglethorpe fell four more strokes behind
Guilford College who now led by eight with only nine holes
left.
The Petrels began their unlikely comeback on hole #10 with birdies
by freshman Matt Bernstein and sophomore Matt Rebitch. On the par 5
11th hole birdies by Rebitch and Scott Pugh coupled with a Guilford
double bogey made a significant dent in the Quaker lead. A third
consecutive birdie by Rebitch on hole #12 kept the momentum swing
going. On the difficult par 4- 400 yard 13th hole, four of our five
Stormy Petrels birdied the 13th hole virtually bringing the match
dead even down the stretch.
Oglethorpe had played the front nine in a disappointing ten over
par while Guilford played it in only six over extending their lead
to eight. However, the birdie fireworks barrage on the back nine
(12 birdies for the five Stormy Petrel players on the back nine)
brought the Petrels back into the tournament.
Oglethorpe played the back nine in a collective 8 under par for all
five players. As always the Royal Lakes Invitational comes down to
the pivotal 18th hole, the final hole, and the tournament was now
extremely close with the lead changing hands three or four times in
the last several holes. Pugh first birdied the 535 yard PAR 5
eighteenth hole but was matched by Guilford's Jeff Boyan with a
birdie. Pugh's back nine 35 gave him a two over 73 for the
day...four better than Boyan. Guilford's Dusty Roberts picked up a
birdie on Oglethorpe's Bernstein and edged him by one overall for
the day 72 to 73. OU freshman Colin Chapman and Guilford's Peter
Latimer traded birdies on 18 and but Latimer also edged Chapman by
one 72 to 73. Both Bernstein and Chapman turned after their first
nine holes at four over each and both played the back nine in two
under giving them both two over 73's along with Pugh and
Dilibero.
OU's Matt Rebitch, who birdied the first four holes on the back
nine, carded a double bogey on #14 but came to 18 needing birdie to
shoot 68. He hit his approach shot to six feet, narrowly missed
eagle.... and tapped in birdie matching Guilford's Burton Wood's
birdie on the 18th. Oglethorpe now led the overall tournament by
two strokes with just one player each left on the course. OU's
David Dilibero at three over par for the day and Guilford's Brian
Creghan at six over. Creghan's approach on eighteen left him about
40 feet for eagle and Dilibero's approach left him an eagle chip
from just over the back of the green. With Oglethorpe leading by
two and both players with eagle opportunities on the last hole,
Dilibero, a junior from Gainesville, FL, chipped his ball to about
two and a half feet. Creghan rolled his eagle putt across the green
and into the cup for eagle.... momentarily tying the two teams.
Dilibero then sank his birdie putt to give the Stormy Petrels the
narrow one stroke victory. Oglethorpe totaled 290-287=577 and
Guilford finished 286-292=578. Huntingdon College was a close third
and Rhodes College finished fourth six strokes back.
Matt Rebitch was the tournament medalist at 72-68=140. Rhodes College's Doug Gordon finished second at 141, followed by Rebitch's teammate David Dilibero at 69-73=142. Piedmont College's Cliff Barton and Rhodes College freshman Bill Bazzell each shot 142 rounded out the All-Tournament Team.
For complete tean and individual results, click Here
To see the Rhodes College Release click Here
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