Mercer University
Irish Creek Invitational
Men's Golf Ties for Ninth at Irish Creek Collegiate
4/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – The Mercer men's golf team posted a solid final round score of 290 to finish in a tie for ninth at the Irish Creek Collegiate. Freshman Hans Reimers led the team with an even-par 71 on the final day of play at the Club at Irish Creek.
Mercer's three-round total of 886 (+34) gave the team a share of ninth place with North Carolina. The Tarheels ranked No. 68 in Golfstat's most recent collegiate team rankings.
No. 17 Duke captured the event title with a final total of 844. No. 28 Wake Forest finished seven strokes behind the Blue Devils and placed second, while Louisville (856), No. 43 Middle Tennessee State (865) and No. 44 Kennesaw State (866) rounded out the top five.
"We played a lot better today," Mercer head coach Andrew Tredway said. "I'm proud of the way they bounced back, but we just need to get off to better starts at tournaments."
After the second round of play was suspended on Saturday, Mercer went into the clubhouse in 13th place. On Sunday, the Bears rebounded from their rocky start and rallied to move into the tie for ninth place.
Junior Josh Cone carded three birdies in the second round and posted a 70 (-1) before using 73 strokes in the final round. Cone's 54-hole total of 217 placed him in a tie for 20th place overall.
Reimers' 71 in the third round came in conjunction with a 77 and a 73 in the first and second rounds. Reimers wound up in a tie for 30th place with his tournament score of 221.
Sophomore Matt Kocolowski booked back-to-back 74's in the second and third rounds to finish tied for 41st. Kocolowski's classmate, Thomas Holmes, signed for a 73 in the final round after shooting 76 in the second round. Holmes finished in a tie for 52nd place individually.
Junior John Gregory Joseph rounded out Mercer's participants with a three-round total of 231. Joseph's tournament score came via a 77 and a 76 in the second and third rounds.
"The guys played smart today and that was the real difference," Tredway said. "They were picking targets instead of just firing at every pin. There was a huge change in mindset from yesterday."
Mercer returns to action at the Atlantic Sun Championship on April 18-20.
